15 Ways to Resign Gracefully

15 Ways to Resign Gracefully You have got a new job! Well done. Now, don’t spoil it all by making a hash of your exit from where you are now. I know: youre excited! It’s hard to stay focused on the old gig, when everything is ‘oh so cool’ about the new one. But remember, the ‘old gig’  was  the ‘new gig’ not so long ago, and how you behave on your way out will affect your brand, your references and your future employability. Trust me on that! It’s true that often you get shown the door as soon as you resign. Also true, some employers behave appallingly to exiting staff. But no matter you  be the better person, leaving with every loose end tied up, and your head held high. The 15 Rules of Resignation  will give you the road map to do just that: 1) Give fair notice: Sure, your offer letter of 5 years ago says you need only give 2 weeks notice. But you were a trainee then, and now a Team Leader. You  know  you will cause your employer huge issues if you leave at such short notice. Don’t do it. Provide enough time for them to get their business covered. It’s the professional thing to do. 2) Do the deed gracefully: The actual resignation, I mean. Plan how you will do it. Set a formal meeting. Be polite. Accentuate the positives. Be firm, but humble. Show appreciation. Thank your boss. 3) Don’t blab: To everyone else, I mean. Either before you resign, or after. Until your boss agrees a communication plan. In my experience, 90% of “resignees” fail right here. Just  have  to tell everyone about ‘my great new job’. It’s selfish. Destructive. You need to be collaborative in helping convey the message at the right time, in the right way, to the right people. 4) Offer to train a replacement: And mean it. And do it. Well. 5) Smooth handover of clients and candidates: Co-operate in a handover of your current orders, your clients and your hot talent. If you are leaving those clients for good, it’s the right thing to do by them, and by your employer who gave you the chance to build those relationships in the first place. But even if you plan to work with those clients from somewhere else, they don’t  belong  to you, so do the ethical thing and brief a successor. Then, when the time is right, restraints honoured, compete like hell! 6) Share the inside stuff: You know what I mean. The little nuggets. Like your computer password. Or which contact within a client  really  makes the decisions. Or special fee arrangements you have in place. 7) Don’t  destabilise: Resist the temptation to vent, to criticise, to undermine and to pour negativity, like a trail of dog-poo around the office, “because you know better and you are leaving”. It’s not a good look, and it makes you look ridiculous. Really. 8) Don’t slack off: This is critical. If you ‘go walkabout’, start being lazy, come in late, avoid your admin and generally make it clear you have ‘checked out’, everyone will see that and everyone who counts will remember it. Forever. And that is going to hurt you one day. Count on it. 9) Take no cheap shots: At your boss. Your colleagues. The business. Anything. It’s weak. And petty. And very “prattish”. 10) The exit interview: Cooperate. Don’t be a smart-arse by refusing to participate. Be thoughtful and constructive. Resist the temptation to preach or criticise. 11) Don’t flirt with counter-offer discussions if you have no intentions of staying: Pursuing that conversation, just so you can enjoy having your ego stroked, is a form of masturbation. And doing that in public is just not nice. 12) Wrap it up: Close as many of your working orders and other projects as you can. I had a woman once who left the business with her  record-ever  quarter. She left with her head held high, and we paid her bonus gladly. 12 months later when her new job turned out to be a dud, we hired her back. 13) Thank everyone: When you are on your way out,  thank everyone  who helped you on your way up. It will mean a lot to them if you do, and they will remember it if you don’t. And not in a good way. RELATED:  Why Your  Thank You  Matters 14) Say goodbye properly to everybody: Personally, not by email from your phone when you are out the door. Shake hands. Offer kisses. Swap contact details. Keep doors open. 15) Stay an ambassador after you have gone: Don’t deride your former company or colleagues. Amazing how many people do that. It’s such an unpleasant trait. Never reflects well on you. Never. Ever. So why do it? Having run and owned businesses for 25 years, I guess I have been on the receiving end of a huge number of resignations. And it stuns me how destructive, to themselves, some people can be. Petty and vindictive. Or just lazy and sloppy. And yet, so many times, six months later, when their dream job did not turn out so well, they want to come back. Or they need a reference. Hmmm… I have hired back literally dozens of ex-employees who behaved impeccably on the way out. In those cases the door is always open. But many more have sullied their exit, behaving appallingly and burning customers and colleagues along the way. And to them, the door is closed, forever. Don’t be an idiot. Resign with grace.

Reviewing an Entry Level Engineering Resume

Reviewing an Entry Level Engineering ResumeAn entry level engineering resume is intended to identify the graduate engineers as well as the available positions that are available in the career field. These resume reviews will also help you come up with an idea about your desired career and how the potential employer views you.Resume is the first thing that you are going to be sent when you apply for the job. You need to prepare yourself for the interview because it can be very nerve-racking. If you know how to prepare a well-researched engineering resume, then it will be a lot easier for you to meet your goal of getting hired for the job.There are many elements that go into making an engineering resume. You have to include the most important items such as your name, contact information, educational background, and work experience. Remember to mention all the relevant and necessary details in your resume. It is wise to have specific details on what you have done to get to where you are now.Make sure that you also include other important items such as your expertise and education. Also, make sure that your credentials will be enough to prove that you have the required experience. Always remember that what you put on your resume will be scrutinized by the person who is reading it so be sure to include all relevant details.You may want to create your own resume but it is recommended that you hire a professional to create one for you. Although it is possible to create your own, there are professionals who have already done this for thousands of other individuals and know exactly what they should put on the resume.You should review your resume to find out what the industry is like in the career field that you are looking for. A career field that has been consistently growing will obviously be a field that is consistent. You do not want to get a job that is only going to be around for a few years because you will be unable to achieve your long-term goals if you choose a job that is not worth the effort.Consider the length of time you have worked for your current employer. This will definitely be one of the biggest factors that will determine whether or not you will be successful in the career field that you are looking for. The more experience you have, the higher your salary is likely to be.It is important to focus on specific details. You do not want to put down your college or university major. If you are going to apply for an engineering position, it is important to have at least a general idea of what the typical job description will be so that you can get a better idea about the job you are applying for.

5 Job Seekers Who Struggle to Land Interviews (and How to Help)

5 Job Seekers Who Struggle to Land Interviews (and How to Help) Job hunt not going according to plan? Can’t figure out why you aren’t getting called in for interviews?  Perhaps you’re one of five types of job seekers whose resumes just seem to tank with hiring managers. Think about it. Maybe you change jobs a lot? Or have gaps in your career history?  Some very commonplace things can raise red flags for employers. The good news is that there are a few easy solutions that can get your resume back on track. Whether it’s learning how to write a resume summary  or figuring out where to explain a layoff, the hardest part is simply knowing where weaknesses in your resume lie. Find out if you’re one of the five types of job seekers that have a harder time writing resumes and what you can do to fix it. 1. The Job Hopper There is an ongoing debate about whether the stigma attached to job hopping is disappearing.  That’s because Millennials (those of us born between 1982 and 2004) don’t see a problem changing our jobs frequently. A recent Gallup poll shows that 21% os millennials reported changing their jobs in the past year;  a figure that is three times higher than non-millennials who did the same.  If everyone is doing it, then it must be okay, right? Well, we all know the logic behind that kind of statement. While job hopping trends, companies are companies. They will always want a return on their investments.  And even if that weren’t true which it is frequently changing your job means you’re less likely to stick around, resulting in a repeat recruitment process for your hiring manager. So, what can you do? You’ve got to assure the hiring manager that you’re worth the risk. And you can do that by adding achievements to your resume. Follow the X,Y, Z approach when you add an achievement:  In situation X, I did Y, which resulted in Z.  To increase company-wide participation in CSR initiatives, I created an internal marketing campaign that boosted employee turnout by 50% at the next in-house event.  You’ve gone from “risky, average member of a marketing team” to an individual who can increase company-wide participation by half. That’s real value.  Place your achievements next to the corresponding responsibilities in your experience section. Pro Tip: Some experts will tell you that you can alter dates by removing months. One month of work becomes a year. But tampering with dates is a no-no. You may think you’re tricksey, but hiring managers are in the know.   2. Mr. Complicated Career Progression Mr. Complicated Career Progression starts out as a manager and gets demoted. Perhaps it was a voluntary downgrade, perhaps not.  Getting demoted isn’t lethal, but you do have to consider how to present it on your resume without deterring hiring managers. So, what can you do? If it’s a simple case of voluntary progression reversal, all you need to do is provide a brief explanation. The best place to do that is in your cover letter, resume summary, or as a side note in your experience section.  But let’s say you were straight up demoted. In that case, you’ll need to sacrifice the emphasis you’d typically place on your management skills. You can try to omit the job from your resume as long as it won’t create a black hole in your experience section. If that’s not feasible, draw attention to the transferable skills from that job and your accomplishments instead of featuring your managerial skills and responsibilities. Overall, try redirecting attention to your current role and skill set and place your managerial skills in less prominent places on your resume. In the end, the best thing to do is to remain positive when you talk about the situation. Don’t use the word “demotion” and don’t badmouth your past employer. 3. The Chronically Unemployed Candidate Currently, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics says there are over 7 million unemployed Americans. And four million of them are involuntarily stuck on the unemployment merry-go-round.  There are endless scenarios that result in chronic unemployment. Perhaps you were laid-off and can’t find work. Maybe you are a stay-at-home parent who wants to rejoin the workforce.  Either way, your resume has to tackle the gaps in your job history.   So, what can you do?   Resist the temptation to use a functional or skills-based resume format. The format takes the pressure off your job history while showcasing your skills, but these skills aren’t backed by proof.  You may need to get creative with the layout, but it’s best not to kill the experience section altogether. Instead, kick off your resume with an introduction to yourself and lead with an activity in your experience section be it non-profit work, freelance work, or volunteer work notice how all of those things are still called “work.” Finish with your education or your previous work experience even if you gained it years ago. Pro Tip: Try to keep your hands busy. If you’re chronically unemployed, staying busy is healthy both for your mind and your resume. Occupy yourself with freelance or volunteer work. 4. Miss Overqualified Professional Voluntarily opting for underemployment is a bit suspicious. Upon seeing an overqualified resume, hiring managers may begin to make a whole bunch of assumptions. So, what can you do? You have to convince a hiring manager that you’re volunteering for underemployment for whatever reason, e.g., you want to go back to doing creative work, or you want a better work-life balance. But first, understand the assumptions they may make: They may think that you’ll (justifiably) want a lot of money. You don’t fully understand the job, and you will ultimately leave. That the 15+ years you spent at your last job has left your skill set stagnant. You won’t be happy working under people less experienced than you. The solution? Address these issues as you update your resume. Write a cover letter that will quell all possible fears or assumptions. And write a stellar resume summary that will explain where you are, where you’re going, and how that’s going to benefit your new employer. Tell the hiring manager right away that you’re not in the wrong place. 5. The Non-specialized Job Seeker Are you skilled in sales, marketing, and administration simultaneously? Then you are an Unspecialized Job Seeker.  Not to worry. You just have to focus your resume so that it doesn’t turn into a hot mess of random skills. So, what can you do?   One trick for unspecialized candidates is to choose a combination resume format. The format allows you to emphasize your skills by grouping the bullet points in your experience section under skill-based subheadings. All you have to do is  tailor your resume  to reflect the skills  listed in the job description. Administrative Assistant at XYZ Organization Reduced response time for client inquiries by 20% through the implementation of an innovative filing system. Marketing Manager at Company ABC Leadership Spearheaded a team of 10+ employees to implement rebranding of all marketing materials company-wide. Pro Tip: Cut the fluff. If you’re applying for an Office Management position, avoid long descriptions of your marketing position and related achievements. You want to show transferable skills and achievements that demonstrate your ability to do the work at hand. Key Takeaway Even if you are one of the five types of job seekers listed above, you can easily overcome the stigmas attached to each. If you take a little extra time and effort to address these issues in your resumes, you’ll find that you will start getting the interviews you deserve. About the author: Natalie Severt is a writer for Uptowork, the  resume builders.

A Practical Guide to Salary Negotiations - Classy Career Girl

A Practical Guide to Salary Negotiations Enjoy this  sneak peek inside our Practical Guide to Job Search Success! If you dread negotiating your salary, you are not alone.  Negotiating salary is something that most people dread.   Here are a couple of the most common mindset mistakes that women make over and over again when it comes to negotiating their salary: 1) Wellfirst I will submit my resume and give a great interview. Then, I will prepare for the salary negotiation. 2) I will wait until my boss gives me a raise. I trust my company to reward me for what I am worth. 3) My boss knows how hard I have been working. 4) The economy is pretty bad right now so I know that I probably will only get a 1-2% raise. If you have ever thought any of these thoughts, you will never get paid what you are worth. Here are five things you need to understand to get paid what you are worth during salary negotiations: 1)  Understand Benchmarking Benchmarking helps you understand how your organization compares with similar organizations. It is the process of determining who is the best, who sets the standards, and what that standard is. Your ability to understanding benchmarking is important for salary negotiations because you don’t want to be in a company that is never going to pay you what you’re  worth. Understand how employers decide the salary level in your industry and adjust your job search accordingly. There are a variety of benchmarking tools you can find but these include comparing pay rates with the following: Average pay at other companies in the industry Average pay for professionals with your level of experience and education Average pay for professionals in your field in your area of the country Keep in mind not to expect that you can negotiate for significantly higher pay than the normal even if you are qualified. 2)  Don’t Get Too Excited…Wait for it You don’t want to send a signal that you only care how much you can get and not giving an impression that you are a good fit for the company’s culture. Therefore, always wait for the employer to make an offer and never be the one to start the discussion about salary. In the same way, if the recruiter brings up money right away, see if you can push or delay the salary discussion until you’ve secured the position and proven yourself valuable to the company. 3)  Negotiate performance Some companies who want to hire you but have limited resources might give you an excuse like “This is what we can afford right now.” If you really want the job, you can ask if they would be open to discussing a performance based bonus. Talk about the specific, measurable results that would improve your bottom line and increasing you earnings. Getting any incentive pay agreements in writing during the hiring stage is a good strategy so your employer will be committed to follow through. 4)  Don’t talk only cash Don’t forget that salary negotiations  should be about total compensation. Ask about the benefits package the company is offering. Always negotiate for non-cash perks that might bridge the gap between your asking price and the employer’s offer. 5)  Train yourself One great way to practice salary negotiations is to pick a friend or family member to help you prepare for the salary negotiation through role playing.   Through this, you’ll gain more confidence to talk money with a potential employer without being afraid. Confidence is EXTREMELY important during this conversation so you want to make sure you are as fully prepared as you can be. Salary discussions might be awkward and uncomfortable, but realize that counteroffers and negotiations are just another routine process. Do not be ashamed for asking for what you truly deserve. You should be strong, confident and professional. Recruiters expect it and many actually look down on a candidate if they don’t negotiate!

Certified Resume Writing Services In Reno Nevada

Certified Resume Writing Services In Reno NevadaCredible and professional certified resume writing services in Reno Nevada are not hard to find. The reason why they are so much in demand is because they offer the best quality service, and the most efficient of data capture processes.Some people will wonder why they need a certified resume writing service. Well the simple answer is that a qualified writer can take the repetitive and mundane details from an applicant and turn them into an eye-catching and memorable story that will make you stand out from the crowd. After all, who wants to be living in the same room as another person on a daily basis?We have all heard of the fact that some people in a specific field often know more about their field than just about anybody else in the world. This is because they spend time doing it, and it is something that is very important to them. This is something that could be summed up by saying 'These are the people that will make me look good.'C ertified professional services in Reno Nevada will never say that just because an applicant was involved in this sort of work before, they automatically become better at it. They will only be honest with you if you ask them.Now of course, it is not something that you want to think about at all times. This is because the human mind, which is a finely tuned organ, is very good at making snap decisions about the wrong things at the worst possible times.Resume writing services in Reno Nevada will never do that. They will always put your interests and skills front and center in their documents. They will never leave anything out and if you do it will be because of your own stupidity.When you hire a professional resume writer in Reno Nevada, they will use specific and advanced techniques to create an outstanding document that will put you above the competition. There is nothing better than having the assurance that your resume is truly the best out there.Professional resume writing servic es in Reno Nevada are prepared to answer any questions you may have. You do not have to worry about the standard things like price or cost because they can assure you of a long term, reliable relationship with a highly efficient team of writers.

Unique Twitter Marketing Strategies

Unique Twitter Marketing Strategies There is no denying that Twitter is an exceptional marketing platform for businesses today. However, with so many companies using this social media platform in order to engage with their customers, you need to make sure that you stand out with your approach to Twitter marketing. Of course, this can be a lot easier said than done, as you don’t want to do anything that can have a negative impact on your brand. Here are some great suggestions to help you get started… Solve problems â€" The best tweets are those that add value to our lives, and this is something that Lowe’s capitalized on to full effect. The company created a campaign known as #FixInSix, which featured a series of different Vines that gave people simple solutions to common household problems. The company did not feature any of their own products in their videos. However, their Vines helped them to stay relevant while also being highly shareable, so their content was being shared with the masses. If you can create something of true value to your users, you can be sure you will make a bigger impact online. Flock to unlock â€" This is another innovative digital marketing approach you can make the most of on Twitter. One company that showed us how to do this effectively was Puma. In a recent marketing add, they used a customized Twitter card, which meant that there needed to be a specific number of Tweets before their latest star-studded advertisement was realized. Of course, something on this scale may not be within your budget or may not be suitable for your company if you are just starting out. However, this does not mean that you cannot follow a similar approach, for example, you could offer a 25 percent discount code once your tweet has been re-tweeted 250 times. Humor â€" If there is one way to get your brand in the headlines and to make people smile, it is with humor. If you receive a sarcastic comment or abuse from someone Twitter, reply with something funny (funny, not offensive!). Or, you and another brand in the community can engage in a funny Twitter conversation to drum up attention. If you can engage customers and make people smile, you have already won half of the battle, and this is the sort of thing that is going to result in people sharing your tweets with their followers. So there you have it: some great Twitter marketing strategies that will help you to differentiate your businesses from the other companies that are using this social media network to advertise their company. If you follow some of the suggestions that have been provided, you should be able to harvest greater results from your social media campaign.

Materials from my speech at Boston University - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Materials from my speech at Boston University - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Happiness at work is a serious topic. If you attended my speech about happiness at work at Boston University on Wednesday: Thank you! You guys were awesome. I loved the energy and all the great questions and comments in the QA session. I would also like to thank the Center for EU Studies for bringing me in to speak and Tim Sullivan for the excellent introduction. It was an absolute pleasure to be back in Boston to speak. Thank you! If you want more information, you can find my slides and some of our most popular articles and blog posts here. And if you have any questions, dont hesitate to get in touch. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related