Career Change in 10 Steps

Perhaps you just begin to lose interest. Perhaps you find something that interests you more. Perhaps your company is downsizing. These are some of the reasons people find themselves on the cliff looking back on their career just as the dirt begins to crumble beneath them.

Faced with a career change plunge? Do you wish you were? Take it slowly and make sure what you really want to do is change careers. Career change is a natural life progression; most studies show the average job-seeker changes careers (not jobs) several times over the course of a lifetime.

Get on a path toward career change success; find a 10-step plan here

Networking Tips for Job Seekers

As many job seekers have often heard, it's all about who you know. When it comes to finding a job, your industry connections can often prove to be as important as the practical skills and work experience you have, if not more so.

College students, career changers and other newcomers to their chosen field can and should use networking events and job fairs to meet key industry players who could put them on the path to employment.

For seven tips to make the most of time at these events, see the full article here

17 Successful Executives Who Have Lied On Their R�sum�s

Mid-level workers aren't the only ones fudging their experience

Business Insider

By Hope Restle and Jacquelyn Smith

Your r�sum� is a place to highlight your biggest accomplishments and showcase your most valued skills. It's what hiring managers use to determine whether you'd be good at the job, and whether you're worth meeting in person.

So, it's no surprise that a majority of people lie on their r�sum�s. A 2014 poll from CareerBuilder found that 58% of hiring managers caught applicants exaggerating or fudging details about previous roles, skills, or awards. And entry- or mid-level workers aren't the only ones guilty of fibbing. Top execs have done it, too.

Here are 17 successful executives who were caught or admitted to fudging, exaggerating, or straight up lying on their r�sum�s.

Vivian Giang and Jhaneel Lockhart contributed to an earlier version of this article.

David Tovar, former VP of corporate communications for Wal-Mart

1/17

In September 2014, David Tovar, the vice president of corporate communications for Wal-Mart, resigned from the company after it was discovered that he had not, in fact, received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Delaware, like his r�sum� stated, according to Bloomberg.
The New York Times reported that he didn't remember what he had put on his r�sum�. He said, "I definitely didn't disclose that I didn't have a degree, and there were times where it was probably an error of omission." He said he was a few credits shy of his degree, and had even participated in the graduation ceremony.

Sandra Baldwin, former president and chairman of the US Olympic Committee

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In May 2002, Sandra Baldwin, the first woman to be appointed the president and chairman of the US Olympic Committee, resigned after admitting she had put false information on her r�sum�, according to The New York Times.
She had stated on her r�sum� that she received her bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado in 1962, and her doctorate from Arizona State University in 1967.
She eventually admitted that she only attended the University of Colorado for three years, but received her bachelor's from Arizona State � and that she never actually earned her doctoral degree because she didn't have time to finish the dissertation.
Baldwin came forth because a University of Colorado student interviewing her for an alumni publication intended to disclose the truth, according to The New York Times.


Read more #@>  17 Successful Executives Who Have Lied On Their R�sum�s

5 Resume Mistakes That Scream 'Narcissist'

Let the recruiter decide if you truly are creative, innovative or exceptional.

Inc.

By J.T. O'Donnell

Most people hate writing their resumes. The idea of having to sell yourself with a piece of paper can feel really intimidating. Between the formatting and the content, creating the perfect resume can feel overwhelming and frustrating. Even worse, as you send out the resume and receive no responses back, you start to doubt your design. Next thing you know, you're making tweaks and changes, obsessing over why the resume isn't making your phone ring.

Resume trends have changed dramatically in the past few years. Recruiters have high expectations. They're also time-crunched. They need resumes they can quickly skim to determine if you're a fit. Did you know that studies show recruiters spend an average of only six seconds on your resume to determine if you're a fit? Which means that first impressions matter.

Unfortunately, many job seekers aren't getting a second opinion on their resumes, ultimately creating one that mistakenly screams, "I'm a narcissist!" to recruiters. I spoke with TopResume's job search expert, Amanda Augustine to get her take on how job seekers are going wrong. Here are five things she says you should never do on your resume:

1. Leading with a "me, me, me" objective statement.

Recruiters don't care about your career objectives. They have a job to fill and you are just a potential service provider. Augustine explains, "When the first thing a recruiter sees on your resume is what you want from them, they're turned off." Ditch the wordy, self-important objective statement and free up that valuable real estate on your resume for proven accomplishments instead.

2. Overselling yourself with subjective text.

When you use words like "creative," "innovative," and "exceptional," you're sharing opinions of yourself. The recruiter sees it as his or her job to determine if you are those things. When you say it about yourself, you sound cocky. Augustine says a good test is to ask yourself if you'd say these things when speaking face to face with a recruiter. "Hi, I'm fantastic Amanda!" would sound pretty silly. Tone down the language and stick to the facts instead.

3. Adding a picture.

While a photo is normal to add to a social media profile, it's not acceptable on a resume. Augustine says recruiters don't want to be distracted by the photo. Plus, you could be setting yourself up for discrimination. Let your accomplishments speak for you, not your looks.

4. Getting too personal.

Recruiters don't want to know about your wide-variety of extracurricular activities. Augustine says, "It's a resume, not a dating profile." Recalling that recruiters spend only six seconds skimming your resume, it's better to leave off anything that isn't truly relevant to your professional experience.

5. Showcasing quotes and references.

Testimonials are for book covers, not resumes. First, recruiters have no way to prove if they're real. Second, they take up valuable space on the resume. Augustine says featuring references from co-workers and managers screams, "I'm trying too hard to impress you." If the recruiter wants them, he or she will ask for them.

If you're guilty of any of the above, you may want to rework that resume. Also, consider seeking out some tools to help you evaluate objectively what else might be missing the mark with recruiters. Think of yourself as a business-of-one and the resume as the brochure. The messaging needs to resonatewith your intended audience, or you'll be dismissed.

How to Be More Efficient at Work

In Today's world coping with Job pressure is really tough. Anyone who's held down a full-time job knows that an average work day is not always long enough to get everything you need to do done. However, your productivity can be greatly improved by adopting habits designed to make you work more efficiently. 

Being efficient at work won't just improve your productivity and win you recognition - it'll also make you feel accomplished, satisfied that you've had a full and productive work day. 

For a three part discussion see the article here.

12 Networking �Need to Knows�

Not only are jobs scarce, but those that do exist are highly competitive. Networking is the key, whether you are just entering the workforce and trying to land your first job, or whether you want to continue to successfully climb the ladder, successful job search networking can give you a leg up on your competitors.

Explore 12 tips designed to help you become a more effective networker here.