Finding a Job with Flexible Hours

Finding a Job with Flexible Hours Define Job Flexibility? Over the years, many of my clients have approached me looking to find a more flexible job. As I tell them, you cannot separate your life from your career. There are times in your life that you may want more flexibility in your job and do not want to work during the traditional hours (8:00 â€" 5:00). So is this possible? Define Job Flexibility? First, you need to define what flexibility means to you. Define the parameters. For some, it will be working 7:00 â€" 3:00 instead of 9:00 â€" 5:00. Other options include: working 4 days a week working from home 3 days a week working 30 hours a week in their chosen career field taking 6 or 12 months off If you are looking for flexibility, consider what options you are willing to consider. Investigate Current Employer Options Second, can a flexible schedule work with your current employer? It is often easiest to create a flexible work schedule if you have already proven yourself to your company and your manager. You are less of a risk if your supervisor considers you a strong employee. It is less costly for your company to keep you as a strong employee who works a flexible schedule than to lose you and attempt to hire your replacement. Talk to your manager to see if this is a possibility before giving up on your current employer. However, there are some companies or managers who will not allow you to work outside of traditional hours. Expect to hear this answer and have a prepared, professional response if your employer says no. If you and your manager do decide on a new flexible schedule, there are a lot of items to work out including expectations on all sides. I will address this larger issue in a subsequent blog. Resources for Changing Employers If you cannot stay or do not want to stay with your current employer, what are your options? Whether you want to stay in your current field or move in a new direction, it may be difficult to find that flexible option. To help, Ive listed some good places to look: Look at company websites to see if they mention flexible work arrangements. Do they have any positions posted stating flexible work arrangements? Do you have friends or colleagues at that company who already have a flexible schedule? Inquire with them how they got that schedule. This information can give you insight into how willing a company may be to offer flexible schedules. Some individuals will go to traditional job search sites and review the part-time opportunities. However, for many, those part-time jobs do not fit in with their career objectives. A website that is specifically designed to identify flexible positions is: www.flexjobs.com. Job seekers pay for access to this site, but those who run the site do all the research to find legitimate jobs for those who are looking for part-time, freelance, telecommuting, flexible or non-traditional schedules. There are additional regional websites that you may also want to visit: http://flexibleresources.com (New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey tri-state areas) www.flexforceprofessionals.com (Washington D.C.) www.momcorps.com (Various locations throughout the country) Another option may be to start your own company. For some, working for themselves allows them to create their own hours, giving them the flexibility they want. However, running a business can be extremely time consuming or an individual may not have the ability, knowledge or expertise to open her own business and/or run it profitably. Target and reach out to small business owners in your community, related to your field, to see if they need assistance from someone with a less traditional schedule. Sometimes small business owners need help, but cannot hire a full-time employee to fill their need. On the other hand, some small businesses cannot afford to train and develop someone who isnt fully committed to the company. Apply for full-time positions and once you receive the offer, negotiate a flexible work arrangement. Many individuals are accustomed to negotiating salary when they receive an offer. Your work schedule may also be negotiable. However, just like negotiating salary, you may receive an answer you do not like and will need to be ready to make a decision based on that data. Check out the Best Companies to work for articles for your city or at websites like www.workingmother.com. Oftentimes work flexibility is addressed as a component in these lists. Consider taking a position that will allow you to have flexibility, but is completely off of your career path. If flexibility is an absolute must for you in your current life situation, you may need to take a job that is outside the field or industry you were hoping to work in. This might not be an ideal move for your career, but it might be necessary for your life at the moment. Different industries have varied opportunities for flexibility. Since each person defines flexibility differently, you may not find a solution that is perfect for your situation. Decide how important flexibility is to your life at the current moment. It may well be worth your time investigating flexible work options, however, it could be a lot of work to find the right solution for you. I wish I could tell everyone reading this blog that there are an abundance of jobs with flexible work schedules that you can easily find in your particular career area of interest. Unfortunately, I cant. That may be true for some, but for others, you may need to work a little bit or a lot harder to find one that fits your needs. For more help contact us at Wolfgang Career Coaching.

If youve got it, flaunt it

If youve got it, flaunt it 9 Flares 9 Flares Welcome to my post about resume length.  If you came in from a search engine expecting pictures of busty women, well, Im sorry to disappoint.  You can leave now if you wish, but stick around and you might learn a thing or two.  Oh, and if you actually are new to COTJ, please click here to  sign up for my RSS feed. Peter flaunts it Im going to try to keep this post short and sweet, just like the HR/Recruiting experts I trust, love, adore, and am friends with say a 20 somethings resume should be.  In writing this post Im going to keep my thoughts to a minimum, take out important details from what Ive learned in my recruiting experiences, and bunch everything together so that I dont go beyond 375 words (or one page).  Doesnt that sound just like your resume writing strategy?  Yep, it does.  Yikes. Before going too much further, please realize Im not advising to go write up a 5 page resume.  Im not for anything that is a waste, so after reading this quick rant you definitely shouldnt go nutty banana party on your resume, stretching it for pages and pages.  Dont do that, idiot.  Justlisten. Not all college students, but a portion of of them are involved in leadership positions, activity programming boards, and work internships, all while making the Deans List, studying abroad, and getting inducted into their programs honors society.  As a recruiter, I want to know every bit of that delicious shit.  I want to see every leadership position.  I want to know activities you planned on campus, and I definitely want to know which internships, and how many you took on while a full-time student. Flaunt it, baby.  Flaunt it. Dont hold back.  Let us read the goods.  List everything worth mentioning, which means it shows your value to the company.  Provide details, but dont write bullshit either.  With every addition to your resume, ask yourself, Does this prove my value?  If yes, then please include.  If no, then take it off.  So simple. No one expects that you have the experience to warrant more than one page.  If you really do, then prove them wrong. Whats your opinion? Do you think Im a jackass?  Great, tell me that, and make sure you tell me why. HR/Recruiters  Do you seriously discount skilled candidates if their resume is longer than a page? Current and previous job seekers Do you only use a one page resume?  Why?  Who brain washed you?

Three Quick Tips for Souping up Your Executive LinkedIn Profile

Three Quick Tips for Souping up Your Executive LinkedIn Profile LinkedIn is a powerful networking tool for executives. With the high visibility your LinkedIn profile has, even some of the smallest mistakes could be critical. Just like with a resume, your profile has to stand out among the rest if you want to get discovered and considered for any job openings. Understanding how to optimize your LinkedIn profile will go a long way in getting the job you desire. Here are a few tips on how you can soup yours up! 1. Choose an Appropriate Profile Picture LinkedIn is a social media platform, but it is much different from Facebook, Twitter or other platforms. When working on your LinkedIn profile development, the first thing to find is a professional photo. Your picture is the first thing recruiters will see, so make sure you present yourself in the best light. Save the picture of your family or you and your kids for Facebook. A good rule of thumb to remember is if you wouldn’t put the picture on your resume, it doesn’t belong on your LinkedIn profile. You can have a friend or colleague take a photo of you as well. 2. Customize Your URL Your profile will automatically be assigned a jumble of numbers and letters at the end of the URL. It would look a lot better and cleaner if you added your name to the end of the URL, especially if you will be sending potential employers the link. It only takes a couple minutes at the most, but it’s a pretty important part of your LinkedIn profile development. Details like this may not seem like a big deal, but they matter to employers and recruiters. 3. Be Detailed and Truthful Any LinkedIn profile writing expert will tell you to be as detailed as possible without stretching the truth. You have the freedom to write whatever you want on your LinkedIn profile, but employers also have the same freedom to investigate to confirm what you write is true. Trust us: they will check facts! Unlike the typical resume, which should be fairly short, your LinkedIn profile should be more detailed. When it comes to how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, keywords are critical for being discovered. The more you write, the better chance you’ll have of using keywords to help you get noticed in the search engines. While it may seem easy to develop your profile, LinkedIn profile writing is more difficult than it sounds. However, with some time and effort, you’ll be able to construct a profile to help get you noticed. If you need any help or advice along the way, just refer back to these three tips and get in touch with us for any other detailed questions you may have.

The Ultimate Manual to Resume Writing Tips for Being out of the Job Market

The Ultimate Manual to Resume Writing Tips for Being out of the Job Market The best method to secure a possibility of an interview is to be certain that the very first page of your resume catches the employer's eye. As much as you wish to believe you're a shoo-in for work, you may not just go by great feedback. To earn a positive first impression on an employer and improve your likelihood of landing an interview, there are dozens and dozens of resume writing tips to select from. Regrettably, it's perfectly legal to advertise work that's almost certain to be filled by means of an insider. What are a couple of of the goals you're trying to accomplish in your career. The present job ones will provide you with a source of accomplishment bullets to boost your current and previous positions. The ones in the job that you're trying for will supply you with ideas of what it requires to be effective within the next role and that which you may have already done that could allow it to b e simpler for you to demonstrate your competence and likely success within the next function. Your very first step in the planning procedure is to fix the end objective. The Ugly Side of Resume Writing Tips for Being out of the Job Market You better think that the company has continued to produce certain they have a backup candidate just in case anything happens to you, and you'd be smart to continue your work search efforts. In work search campaign, the target is the certain sort of job (job title) that you're targeting and will take action to earn. Normally, it leaves the work seeker disillusioned, frustrated, and not as hopeful for success. What to Expect From Resume Writing Tips for Being out of the Job Market? On the off possibility you have, utilize what you said there as a start of the exchange. Along similar lines, it's ideal to be strategic in regards to the experience you list if you've got under 10 decades of experience. A lot of people are reluctant to admit the y're in the marketplace, but they have to have past that. While it might be tempting to jump back in the sector, it's important to make sure you've got all you will need to lead a thriving search. Resume Writing Tips for Being out of the Job Market at a Glance When deciding a plan of action to win a new job, just think about utilizing the strategies which you would use in any of your promotion positions. Don't just apply for each job posting that has marketing within it. If you know you wish to be in marketing and it's your very first job, take whatever position you're offered and then branch out to learning from all the various sides. The person who's recruiting (hiring) is the buyer and you're the true item. Type of Resume Writing Tips for Being out of the Job Market It is not hard to fall in the trap of talking about yourself when you're sitting in the job-applicant seat. A little sad reality might have to sink in. Out of every career, you recognize the ability of brand ing the significance of a creative hustle and that it is really the little things which make something or someone stick out. Leave people who have a great impression, even when you don't need the job they are attempting to fill.

Pursuing Your Passion Do You Know Your Gift - Work It Daily

Pursuing Your Passion Do You Know Your Gift - Work It Daily Right around now, we’re all making a list and checking it twice. I could do without the cold, but the holidays are the perfect hour to help yourself. All year, we wait for the chance to tell our closest friends and family what we want. This year, I decided to do things differently. Related: Why It’s Absolutely Necessary To Discover Your Passion Instead of focusing on what I might get, I’m considering what I can give. We all have a job to do, a self to become. The purpose of life is to discover your calling. The meaning of life is to answer that call. Pick up and pay it forward. You can only give what you got, but you must know what you have first. This holiday, the greatest gift you can give is yourself. In the context of your career, the only work worth doing comes from a place of enjoyment and expertise. You can only be great at that one thing you’ll sacrifice everything to achieve. On the road to becoming your best self, the most important question you’ll ever ask and answer is this: What is your gift? It took me six months to arrive at an answer. As odd as it sounds, I never considered my calling. Life didn’t deal me a deck of cards where I could factor in fun or making a living from what I loved to do. At least, that’s what I thought. I know now that everyone has the potential to profit from their passion. We all have the capacity to cultivate our genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it’s stupid. I was climbing up the wrong tree and, for the sake of my career, I stepped off. I stepped back and took the time to answer one question that I will ask you now: Do you know your gift? Now that you know, the real work begins. Remember, your gift is for giving but before you can bestow you must begin. The first step down a new road is always the roughest. I’ve found that the trick to starting up is starting small. Here’s how you step into the ring and face the dawn of a new day: Train Every pro was once an amateur. Every expert was once a beginner. So dream big. And start now. You will mess up and make mistakes, but such is life. Remember, the longer it takes to fall down, the less time you have on your feet. Be like a baby and crawl before you walk, but go into everything knowing you’ll start by stumbling along the way. You have a lot to learn, but thanks to the internet you can access almost anything. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) like Udemy and Coursera exist so you can explore your expertise. Most MOOCs are free, and Harvard, MIT, and Stanford are just a few of the U.S. universities connecting via the digital classroom. Growing your gift has never been easier. Teach Maya Angelou said it better than I ever could, “When you learn, teach. When you get, give.” At our best, we are all teachers - your gift is what you get to present to the world. It’s the legacy we leave behind. What do you want people to associate with you? I like to think of it in terms of your personal brand and your job is to share your story. There are 101 ways for you to instruct and, in turn, influence. You can blog, vlog, create a podcast, write an ebook, post pictures, share slides, design a beautiful infographic or record a webinar. Regardless of the path you pursue, give your gift a platform to give back. Try Again When something works, wash and repeat. It will take time to figure out the perfect plan. Plan, but act in the present. According to Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers,” it takes 10,000 hours of practice to be at your best. Spend that time wisely. The only way to reach your highest potential is to grow - better you do so with your gift in mind then to present an incomplete package. This is a guest post by Michael Peggs. Related Posts 7 Thoughts About Finding Your Passion In Life 6 Things Passion For Work Is NOT Your Career Path: Follow The Money Or Your Dreams? About the author Michael Price is the author of What Next? The Millennial's Guide to Surviving and Thriving in the Real World, endorsed by Barbara Corcoran of ABC's Shark Tank. He is also the founder of Conquer Career Course, where he teaches students how to increase their salary, build a career with longevity and become unemployment-proof. View the trailer below:     Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here. Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!

How to Answer the Biggest Challenge Interview Question

How to Answer the Biggest Challenge Interview QuestionPart of the interview process is taking a frank look at challenges youve faced in your previous jobs. The interviewer is trying to figure out how you would approach herausforderung solving in your new role, and see if there are any red flags. (Hint Dealing with the stupid people around me is never gonna be your ideal answer when asked about previous challenges in your professional life.) googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) If the interviewer does ask you a question like, Whats the most difficult part of being a current job title? or What was the toughest part of your belastung job? here are ways you can frame it to make yourself look awesome.DO think about this beforehand.Its a common enough question that the interviewer can reasonably expect you to be ready to think on your feet. If you need a review on some of the most common interview questions, head over to this article on the most co mmon interview questions.DONT pretend your career has been a breeze up to this point.It can seem tempting to make it look like you handled every issue with the ease of Roger Federer returning a servebut making it seem like you never had any challenges or struggles wont make you look like some kind of suave champ. Itll make the interviewer think youre a) not taking the question seriously b) cant think on your feet or worse, c) being dishonest.DO tailor your answer to fit the job description of the position for which youre interviewing.Unless youre making a big career change or applying for a big stretch position, chances are your previous experiences will work nicely with the needs here. Before the interview, review the tasks and responsibilities associated with this job, and dig back in your mental archive for similar issues youve tackled in your current or previous jobs. Try to avoid purely personal anecdotes (about family or friend conflicts). The interviewer isnt interviewing a b uddy, he or she is looking for a strong employee.DO be specific about why your challenges were challenges.You want to show off your problem-solving process, so offer as much context as possible so that the interviewer can see how youre connecting your past with your present (and ideally your future) professional self. Also, sum up with what you learned from the experience. (Example After we got through the event totally shorthanded, I developed a Plan B coverage system that meant we always had backup in case we found ourselves in another crunch.)DO make sure your anecdotes show you in a positive light.You dont get bonus points for total honesty here. If you were facing a challenge because of a mistake or because you dropped a ball, thats not the one to highlight here. Focus on situations where your actions made you a hero (small h, no kitten rescuing necessary), not situations that featured you digging out of a hole you made yourself. Though even heroics arent necessaryif you were p art of a team that had to solve an issue, and you took charge of any part of the process, thats fine too. You want to demonstrate strong leadership and problem solving, whatever you choose to highlight.DONT panic if you dont have a very long work history.If youre just out of school or are otherwise just starting out, this question can be dauntinghow would you have had work challenges if you havent really worked yet? In this case, its totally fine to use an example from your education, or your volunteer work, or other activities (sports, extracurriculars, etc.). Again, though, make sure you tie it to your professional life, and especially the job description. Make sure it demonstrates your leadership skills, not your failures.

How Being Friendly Could Actually Hurt Your Interview Chances

How Being Friendly Could Actually Hurt Yur Interview Chances Moving across the country is overwhelming, for a number of reasons. You have to find a new place to live, youre up against hours of packing and unpacking, and chances are, you have no friends or family in your new town to pitch in and sttze you. Then, to top it all off, you need to find a new job.The job search is always tough, but there are even more obstacles when moving into a new region. Each area of the U.S. has its own preferences and biases when it comes to hiring and they can impact women, especially. If you go into the job search without knowing what these unique preferences are, it will be a lot harder to succeed.Luckily, our latest research dug into how hiring managers make decisions about female job seekers.We showed hiring professionals across the country different images of professional women. These women differed in their race, body shape, age, hairstyle, clothing, and demeanor. We then asked respondents to choose three adjectives they felt best described each woman, as well as list their top five choices of who they would consider hiring. Finally, we asked the respondents to pick the top three qualities they look for when assessing candidates in general.The results showed interesting differences between various regions of the country. By understanding what hiring professionals from different areas are looking for, you can better prepare for the job search.Lets look at four different regions of the U.S. and how some of their preferences might affect where you look for a new jobThe NortheastIncludes CT, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VTFocus on your skill setHiring professionals from the Northeast were the least likely to list friendliness as a hiring priority. Just 37.21 percent said candidates who are friendly stand out to them. This doesnt mean you shouldnt be polite or relatable during the job bewerberinterview. Rather, it means you need to focus on highlighting your skills whe n applying for a job in this region instead.For example, if the interviewer asks you about your personal hobbies, find a way to tie that activity back to your professional skill set. Then your interviewer can get to know you as a person but also see how youre right for the job.Remember, when youre discussing your professional experience, come equipped with numbers. Showing real data will support what you say about your skills and abilities. Some good facts to bring to a job interview in the NortheastYour customer satisfaction scoreSales numbersIncreases in brand awarenessThe SouthIncluding AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WVConfidence is keyThe South welches the only region that had confidence in its list of the top hiring traits. Fifty percent of these respondents said this quality was important to them.If youre going into an interview in the South, take the time to talk yourself up. Before you go into the meeting, make a list of all your positive qualities. Recognizing all you have to offer will help you walk into the interview with your head held high.Some other tricks to try are standing up straight and being mindful of your hand gestures and eye contact. Even if youre nervous, good posture will make you appear more confident. This will encourage them to take your responses seriously and perceive you as more professional.The MidwestIncluding IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, OK, SD, WIMind your Ps and QsThe Midwest is known for being friendly and polite. Unsurprisingly, hiring professionals from this region look for these qualities when interviewing candidates. The top priority was professionalism for 76.32 percent of Midwestern respondents. This was more than any other region.It was also more likely than other areas to list friendliness. The Midwesterners were the only group to have that trait in their top three, with 46.71 percent selecting it.In a job interview in the Midwest, take the time to form a connection with your interviewer. Re search who they are and what their interests are before meeting. This will give you something to talk about and show that youve taken time to get to know them.The WestIncluding AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, TX, UT, WA, WYStep up and leadHiring managers in the West were fruchtwein likely to look for leadership ability when interviewing candidates. For these respondents, 46.03 percent said it was a top priority.When looking for a job in this region, make sure you highlight your leadership skills. Prepare examples of teams youve led in the past and how you were successful.If youve never officially held a leadership role at work, think of other ways youve used these skills. Did you volunteer to plan a fundraising event? Have you helped to train a new employee? These types of experience can show interviewers out West that you have what theyre looking for.