Thursday, March 12, 2020

How to Add or Change Your LinkedIn Profile Picture - Jobscan Blog

How to Add or Change Your LinkedIn Profile Picture - Jobscan BlogPosted on August 26, 2019August 27, 2019 by Paige Doepke Your LinkedIn profile picture helps build your professional brand and lets contacts put a face to your name. Colleagues who know you in the real world will immediately know they are connecting to the correct person. Hiring managers will know youre serious about your professional brand. Clients who youve never met will be able to personalize their relationship with you.Dont be this guyHow to add a LinkedIn profile pictureAdding a LinkedIn picture is easy. Follow these steps to add a photo for the first time.Click the camera icon on your blank profile picture.2. Click Upload photo to choose a profile picture. Or, click Use camera to take a photo on your computer.3. Adjust and center your photo. Note focus on your face. You can include your shoulders as well, but nothing below.4. Hit Save photo and voilaHow to change your LinkedIn profile pictureChanging your Linkedi n picture is a slightly different process than uploading a photo for the first time.Click on your current profile picture2. Click the Change photo button3. Upload a new photo. You can also click Use camera if you have good lighting and a professional backdrop available.4. ort the photo so your face is centered. 5. Hit Save photo. Looking goodChoosing the right LinkedIn pictureDo you need a professional headshot on LinkedIn?The best LinkedIn profile pictures are professional, clear and simple. Professional headshots are perfect if you have them, but you dont need to spend $500 getting headshots done just for your LinkedIn profile Ask a friend with a nice phone or camera to help you take one in the afternoon when lighting is best.LinkedIn profile picture sizeFor best results, LinkedIn suggests using a photo that is 400 x 400 pixels or larger. Make sure the focus is on your face and wear clothing that you would wear to work. For example, if you wear a suit to work, you should be wearin g a suit in your photo. If you work at a laid-back tech company, you can be more casual, but keep it clean and professional. When in doubt, a plain, black shirt works well.LinkedIn photo backdropUse a plain hintergrund that wont take away from the photos main focusyou Stand in front of a white or gray wall, or find a brick wall that adds interest without being fussy. The goal is for you to stand out.What about your LinkedIn hintergrund photo?You know that long spruchbanner photo that sits at the very top of your profile? Thats your background photo or cover photo. Your LinkedIn cover photo can make an impact when used correctly.LinkedIn cover photo sizeLinkedIn recommends 1,584 x 396 pixels for highest resolution. The quality of your photo sets the tone for the rest of your LinkedIn profile, so make it goodWays to use your LinkedIn background photoSolidify your brandChoose a background photo with your companys colors or logo to help people build a connection between you and your bra nd. If you arent graphically talented, why not use a stock photo of your companys home city? If youre building a brand, use the background photo to help.Stand out from the crowdIf youre creative, go ahead and create a custom background that shows off your skills. Include a favorite quote that motivates you or even your email address in a clear font to help clients contact you quickly.Background photos can also be a quick, visual way of giving people a glimpse into your passions and hobbies. For example, Im a writer and I love to read, so I chose a background that relates to both.Keep things cohesiveNot about colorful profiles? Thats fine Find a simple photo that speaks to your image. You can also choose no photo at all which will make your background photo the LinkedIn default backgroundLinkedIns default background photoNot that your LinkedIn profile looks great, try running it through Jobscans LinkedIn Optimization tool to see how the content stacks upFacebook Commentswpdevar_comme nt_1 span,wpdevar_comment_1 iframewidth100% important

Saturday, March 7, 2020

What to Expect From Resume Writing Technical?

What to Expect From Resume Writing Technical? Put simply, technical writing doesnt need to be Shakespeare, but nevertheless, it shouldnt bore a man or woman to tears either. Resume writing is a writing discipline unlike many different types of writing, and is frequently described as a mixture of business writing and copywriting. Learn how to research the main buzz words in your industry so that you may write a highly targeted document which gets noticed by employers whether its scanned electronically or human reviewed. The best resumes are a reflection of an individual, NOT only a group of words on a sheet of paper. Resume Writing Technical - the Story There is an extensive selection of distinct kinds of technical skills. When youre asking for work in the tech business, its important that your resume to accurately reflects your abilities and experience in the area. Listing skills necessary for the position is a no-brainer. Understanding how to tailor your resume will obviou sly offer you an advantage. The Little-Known Secrets to Resume Writing Technical Technical writers and company analysts are almost similar with regard to job descriptions and abilities needed to work in a particular small business company. You will also need to include relevant technical keyword phrases that recruiters and HR professionals could possibly be searching for. It is very important to know precisely which skills the employer is searching for so you know what things to concentrate on when tailoring your resume. Technical writers should put money into an internet presence, but they dont necessarily have to shell out money on online advertising. Since youre searching for a technical writer position, be sure that you include your prior title of Technical Writer as part of your prior job description. The work history section should incorporate details about all of the relevant positions which youve held in your prior job. Most technical positions will require some ki nd of degree, and that means you will need to include your education on the resume. If youre just beginning, you might want to distribution policy a larger emphasis on education and internships. As an issue of fact, resume writing is a very individualized undertaking and it requires a great verstndigung im strafverfahren of preparation. You should consist of specific workplace examples to more support your argument. Whispered Resume Writing Technical Secrets You can also go for making another section for technical abilities and include them in it. Like all skills, youve got to work on writing to secure far better. As you obviously want to concentrate on your technical abilities, you shouldnt neglect your soft abilities or supplementary abilities, either. Last, you should have excellent writing skills. Why Almost Everything Youve Learned About Resume Writing Technical Is Wrong Technical writers usually demand a college degree together with experience in their subject of e xpertise, while its computer science, engineering or web design. You will wind up a resume expert You should have knowledge about ways to compose a technical resume. You should have knowledge about ways to form the technical resume. The New Angle On Resume Writing Technical Just Released Our resume builder will provide you with tips and examples on how best to compose your resume summary. It has to be related to your post that youre applying for. Writing a strong application is a difficult procedure and we would like to make it simpler. You ought to be well informed about the procedure of writing technical resumes. Get the Scoop on Resume Writing Technical Before Youre Too Late For instance, if you developed a particular application that saved your company X period of time, or millions of dollars, brag about doing it All you need to do is to post your undertaking. While resume templates might be useful place to begin, they need to not function as a 1 size fits all solut ion for what is in reality an elaborate rhetorical issue.

Friday, January 3, 2020

3 Ways to Write a Better Job Description - Spark Hire

3 Ways to Write a Better Job Description - Spark HireAs a recruiter, you are not only responsible for finding the right people, but also for marketing the opportunity correctly. In the recruiting industry, marketing first begins with the job description.Yes, you could always simply post the description that the client has sent, but quite often there are pieces of information missing in those job descriptions.When you receive a new job buchen from a client, there are several steps that you must take before creating and posting a job description.1. Talk to the right people.If your primary contact with your client is an HR manager, you are not talking to the right person.In order to recruit the best talent for your client, you need to be in touch with the person in charge of hiring for the position.Get in touch with the hiring manager and you will be surprised how his expectations differ from the job description you were emailed.2. Ask the right questions.When you have the hiring manage rs ear, it is important that you ask the right questions in order to get a clear understanding of the skills and requirements needed for the job.Ask about previous hires and what made them successful.Ask your hiring manager to imagine that he hires the perfect fit for the job and that person has become a great success. Tell him to visualize that he is walking through the office with this hire a year later. What specifically did that hire do in the first year that made him successful?This is important information that will help you find the right talent and get closer to making a successful placement with your client. Be koranvers to take thorough notes during your conversation with the hiring manager.3. Make it easy to read.Once you have gathered clear details from the hiring manager regarding skills and requirements, its time to put together the job description.Its important to review the notes from your conversation with the hiring manager and condense them into simple but concise skills and requirements needed for the job. You will want your job description to be easy for the right talent to read and understand, so its best to keep it clean with bullet points under each individual section of skills and requirements.Of course, if you want to attract the attention of top talent you will want to make your job description snazzy and eye-catching. Dont get too caught up in this part of the job description early on.Make sure that you have your key content for skills and requirements down before getting too creative. You can always go back and make changes as needed. Dont be afraid to use colors or designs to attract talent. Get creative and have fun.What are some other tips for accurately defining skills and requirements in a job description? Please share your tips in the comments below.

Monday, December 30, 2019

How to Answer Why Do You Want to Work Here

How to Answer Why Do You Want to Work HereHow to Answer Why Do You Want to Work HereWhen you go in for a job interview, youre bound to be asked a bunch of garden-variety questions about your previous work experiences, education, and skills. You might also be asked those challenging interview questions that are designed to trip up any vermgen job candidate (i.e., What would you do if I died?)Seriously, how are you even supposed to answer that?But of all the job interview questions that can keep you on your toes- and possibly turn a sternfrmig job interview into something sour- the question, Why do you want to work here? is one of the big ones.Answer it correctly, and chances are the job can be yours. Tank it, and you might not ever hear back from the employer. If youre faced with the interview question, heres how to answer the Why do you want to work here? question.How toAnswer Why Do You Want to Work Here?1. Know the company inside and out.Employers are a particular bunch. They dont want to hire just any old employee who has the qualifications and skills to fit the job.No, they want to hire someone who eats, sleeps, and breathes their business. So just skimming the surface and reading the companys About Us page or doing a quickie Google search isnt going to be enough.If this is a job that you really want, you should have a working knowledge of the companys history, its major milestones, where it stands today, andany breaking industry information about the company. (It also helps to follow the company on social media, too)By knowing all this, youre showing a potential employer that youre not just applying to any and every position that you find, regardless of whether you want the job or not.2. Show how your interests align with the position.Every company has a message and a mission, and its up to you as a job seeker to show how your beliefs align with those of the companys. Maybe the company has a strong humanitarian outreach or donates to a charity that you are passionate about.Whatever the cause is, make sure that when you answer the question, Why do you want to work here, you help show a potential boss how your interests, education, and trajectory of your career path all connect you to this one job. Pinpoint particular parts of the position that you feel strongly about so that the employer feels, aprs interview, that this is the one and only job for you.3. Make it personal.Its easy to regurgitate your resume and cover letter during an interview to show how your previous work experiences make you a perfect candidate for the position. But thats not going to be enough if you want to win over a hiring manager.Instead, make it personal. Tell a story or relate how working for the company would be meaningful to you on both a professional andpersonal level.During an interview with a womens interest magazine, one of my interviewers (a working mom) talked about how to help working moms make connections to their kids during the workday. Immediatel y I lifted up my sleeve to show her a gummy bracelet that my daughter had given me for good luck during the interview and said that welches how I was connecting to her.My potential boss eyes lit up, and I was offered the job the next day. Was wearing a gummy bracelet the sole reason I was hired for the job? No, of course not, but it definitely showed that I understood the company as well as its demographic, and how it all personally related to me.4. Know what not to say.Equally as important as what to say is what not to say. Even if youre desperate to ditch a painfully long commute- and the company is one that has a strong remote work policy- you dont want to tell an employer that.Employers want to feel that they are more than just a paycheck and the potential to work in PJs all day to you. Ditto for admitting that youve been job searching for so long and youre just desperate to get hired. While honesty has its place in job interviews, you want to make an employer feel special.As a good job seeker, you want to nail every job interview question correctly. Knowing exactly why you want to work for a specific company can help you answer the question, Why do you want to work here? knowledgeably, accurately, and make you memorable to the employer so that youll eventually get a job offer.Readers, how have you answered the Why do you want to work here? question? Have you ever goofed it, and what happened? Let us know in the comments below

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Friday, December 20, 2019

How the human cloud could shape the future of the staffing industry

How the menschlich wolke could shape the future of the staffing industryHow the human cloud could shape the future of the staffing industryHow the human cloud could shape the future of the staffing industryIn case you havent heard, online staffing models, aka the human cloud, have begun to permeate the staffing industry. In fact, talk of this tech trend was a recurring theme at the Staffing Industry Associations SIA Executive Forum in February 2019.So do staffing professionals have a real worry on their hands? Industry leaders dont seem to think so at least for the time being but its notlage a topic that can be ignored.As we look at thinktank research on occupations that will be disrupted by technology, recruiters are pretty far down on the list, says Richard Wahlquist, president and CEO of the American Staffing Association (ASA).This core value add that our industry brings to clients inspektion talent, sourcing talent and deploying talent that makes the match in a way that genera tes high degrees of fit, productivity, and engagement takes the human touch.Still, as human cloud platforms continue to develop, they could become an attractive, less expensive means to purchase labor. Thats why its more important than ever that staffing professionals upgrade their skills and find ways to stay competitive.What exactly is the human cloud?The human cloud refers to all of the online platforms that help workers find work, typically with very limited human intervention, explains Barry Asin, president of Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA).The most relevant part of the human cloud in the staffing world is the online staffing platforms, including companies like Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer, he says, most of which are connecting individual workers with project-based work.Another area of the human cloud (the biggest one) is online work services, most notably companies like Uber and Lyft.Those are the biggest players, but there are a whole sortiment of others such as translati on services, outsourced customer service, and legal services, says Asin.The final and smallest category is crowdsourcing in which a company puts out microtasks that it needs to be done and people bid or compete for the project.In total, about $80 billion is spent annually on human cloud technologies, with online staffing accounting for about $5 billion of that, says Asin.For the most part, online platforms align best with work that can be done remotely, such as knowledge work (IT, marketing and creative). But were also beginning to see platforms emerge that focus on local work (like hospitality shift work or industrial, assembly-line type jobs). Where it hasnt made much headway, however, is in placing highly skilled workers into full-time roles.But if the human cloud continues to evolve, and large corporations begin to explore them as viable options to help source candidates, what impact might that have on traditional staffing firms? Lets break it down by exploring some of the poten tial advantages and limitations of the human cloudThe ProsSpeed. The process is tech-driven so algorithms and business rules decide which jobs get shown to which workers, and that can happen instantly, says Asin.Cost savings. In some ways, the platform can be less expensive since theres just the tech in between the candidate and the hiring manager, says Asin.The ConsIt can be a free for all. If you need someone for full-time, on-site work, platforms right now cant do the proper vetting to find that fit, in the way human conversation can. One of the things recruiters and staffing firms do is convince imperfect candidates to take imperfect jobs, says Asin. Its a sales role it takes a person to convince people to try things that are not just a slam dunk.There could be legal issues. Platforms have been mostly geared toward the gig economy essentially, 1099 independent contractors versus W-2 employees. But the Uberization of work has brought into question the legal definition of indepen dent contractor. Uber is the target of the most scrutiny from drivers who allege that they should be treated as employees and have access to benefits that traditional employees have, says Wahlquist. Hence, the California Supreme Courtslandmark rulingthat has changed the test for independent contractor status in the state.Asin agrees Its true that online platforms tend to use an independent contractor model, and thats problematic for large enterprise companies concerned about making sure hires are classified properly.Its not conducive for full-time work (yet). On the candidate side, staffing platforms thus far are really about picking up short-term projects here and there but ultimately, most job seekers would prefer to find full-time jobs. Individuals that have been attracted to the pure online platform companies are getting relatively short, defined engagements, says Wahlquist.Staffing Firms are Leveraging TechnologyThe good news is that many top staffing companies are already sta ying ahead of the curve, incorporating bots and AI to do lower-level screening as people are making inquiries, says Wahlquist.And companies across different sectors are giving talent the opportunity to go online and bid for jobs and allowing clients access into the database to make matches as quickly and efficiently as possible. Technology is creating tremendous flexibility at a time where were looking for growth drivers and are facing talent shortages, says Wahlquist.For Hire Dynamics a staffing firm that has been matching talent with employers needing to fill roles in call center, admin, and warehouse and distribution jobs for over 18 years the decision to launch its Work4HD app last year was a no-brainer.We have them download the app, and do their whole application through it, says Larry Feinstein, CEO, but then we bring them in and vet them, drug test them, do a background, and an interview so we can get the right cultural fit.Combining the best of tech with the face-to-face h uman connection is what Feinstein says will separate a staffing company from a human cloud model.So far, app adoption has exceeded expectations, says Feinstein, with about half of applicants using it.In a competitive market, the app helps the jobs get filled pretty quickly. If someone calls us on a Saturday that needs workers on Monday, we can put it out on our app and its filled by Monday, he says.Thats because the app is built to target and push out notifications to not only people with the right skill set (for instance, a forklift operator certification), but also those in the right geographic area. But even more so, the data and insights shared via the app is helping the staffing associates better understand and engage the candidates so they can provide a better, streamlined experience, he says.Next up, Hire Dynamics is working on technology to support the client side as well. However, at the heart of all these technology upgrades, relationships and emotional connections will re main a top priority, says Feinstein. Its about solidifying our relationship with our talent so we can be better career advocates for them.And make no mistake thats what candidates want. As the ASA Workforce Monitor survey found, while 83% of individuals believe that tech has made finding a job easier, 7 in 10 believe the job search has become too impersonal.ur message is that high touch remains critically important and that organizations that rely too much on high tech are doing themselves a disservice and probably wont be able to make a connection, says Wahlquist.Looking Ahead The Convergence of Traditional Staffing and Technology While online staffing models have some potential to cause a shakeup, Wahlquist says its nothing that staffing firms havent faced before. Staffing has been on a tech continuum for the past 20 years. And as tech has advanced, it has enabled the world of staffing, he says. However, he points out, it can be a disruptive force for those who fail to embrace tec hnology.Asin thinks the most likely outcome will be a convergence between traditional pure service providers like staffing firms, and the platforms like Upwork.Like it or not, he says, staffing professionals will have to get more and more tech savvy, but youll always need people to understand the nuances of organizational culture and the career aspirations of the workers.Technology simply offers an opportunity for staffing firms to do what theyve been talking about becoming more of a consultant to the buyers, and more of a career coach to the candidate, says Asin.Or, put another way, todays staffing professionals are seeing online staffing as another arrow in their quiver, says Wahlquist. Its another tool in their toolkit to source and match candidates with clients even faster than had been done before, he says.But as we know, speed is hardly the only measure of success. If they become over-reliant on tech, they are going to lose a big piece of what makes their companies successful and that is an engaged workforce. Talent is a differentiator, says Wahlquist. You cant afford to risk your companys reputation with talent that is unqualified or not engaged.Thats also why Asin predicts that if platforms like Upwork want to successfully support the hiring needs of enterprise organizations, they, too, will have to take a more hybrid approach by adding a human layer to their platform offerings.The bottom line The staffing industry cant ignore trends and must stay current with would-be disruptors, but not at the expense of what it does best. Says Feinstein The companies that match the best experience with the best technology will prevail.

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Why I re-read my favorite books multiple times a year

Why I re-read my favorite books multiple times a yearWhy I re-read my favorite books multiple times a yearAbout four years ago I decided to read100 new books a year. Ive kept up that habit until recently.I stopped reading two new books a week because I forgot almost everything I learned more than a year earlier. And theres no way you can remember even a quarter of a book you read three years ago.I made this discovery this year when I started worrying about random things in my life. I thought, Didnt I deal with this issue years ago?And I was right, Ive read a lot about worrying, Ive coached people,and I even wrote a book about it.But Im bedrngnis a machine- Im not immune to the challenges that we all face. No one is.So I decided to re-read one of my all-time favorite personal development books,How To Stop Worrying and Start Livingby Dale Carnegie. After that, I remembered how to deal with worry again.Once I realized that knowledge disappears quickly from our minds, Ive been re-reading and studying at least one good book a week. We must arm ourselves against the challenge of life byrepeatingthe things we learn so often that they become a habit.If you want to master a particular skill, dont assume that reading a few books on the topic will help you do that- it requires endless repetition. Ryan Holiday said it best inThe Daily StoicWhen we repeat an action so often it becomes unconscious behavior, we can default to it without thinking.After re-reading close to 40 books this year, I want to share 5 tips with you that can help you master the skills that you value in life.1. Keep your all-time favorite books closeThe books you want to master need to be in a place where you see them every day. Keep them on your desk, on your nightstand, on the dinner table.Let the books remind you of what you want to get out of life. A book likeOn The Shortness Of Lifeis a constant reminder that life must be lived.Thats why I love to have it on my desk. I do the same with other books t hat are important to me likeOn Writing Wellby William Zinsser.So look at your life. What behaviors, characteristics, or skills do you want to make your own? What books are about those things? Keep those books close. But dont keep a stack of 30 books on your desk. Pick only 1-2 books per topic. And stick to thebest.2. Make sure youve highlighted your booksI always highlight a book when I read it for the first time. Now, when I want to go back and study a book, I dont need to reread everything. I look at my highlights, but I also read the whole paragraph.Every time someone tells me they are afraid to highlight books or that they dont want to buy books, I question that persons will to learn. Look, whats more important? Keeping your books neat? Or improving your life?Highlight your books. Make notes on the pages. Turn the book into something thatsyours.3. Grab a book and go through it in a day (or two)Ive learned that the meaning of a book changes over time. Thats not because of the boo k changes but becauseyouchange.The first time I readThe One Thingby Gary Keller, I learned about thepower of compounding. The second time I read it, I learned about the importance of blocking large chunks of time to get meaningful work done.Thats because I was in a different phase. And thats also why you want to read good books more than once. The great thing about re-reading non-fiction books is that it doesnt take much time.If youve highlighted a book, you can go through the whole book in three to four hours, in my experience. I can do that in one or two days. And I always learn something new.4. Make personal notes about the book in your journalNo matter how often you read a good book, youll still forget the majority of the content. It doesnt matter how good or useful a book is, over time, we forget a lot of what weve learned.But when you make notes about the things youve learned from a book, you start internalizing knowledge. Once you write about a topic in your own words, it bec omes a part of your muscle memory.Thats why I recommend writing notes to yourself in yourjournal. Just like Marcus Aurelius did in his journal (which later was published as Meditations). Tell yourself do this and dont do that.5. Repeat this process every week with a new book - multiple times a yearIts better to re-read a good book several times a year, compared to reading a decent book only once or twice. So as you keep rereading books, narrow down your list.I started with about 50 books I wanted to re-read. Ive cut it down to half by now. My goal is to end up with 8 books that I will skim through once a month (two a week). Once the material becomes a habit and is in my muscle memory, I intend to move to another book.Theres nothing new about this learning principle. Its exactly the same strategy Bruce Lee used to become one of the biggest martial artists and actors in history. He saidI fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one ki ck 10,000 times.Similarly, I dont admire the person who has read 1,000 books, but I admire the person who has read one book 1,000 times.This article first appeared on Darius Foroux.