How can you use social media to get a job?

August 25th, 2016 by

Social media has expanded beyond a fun way to communicate with friends — it is also an important tool for making connections and branding yourself. Social media can help you develop relationships and show off your skills to peers and potential employers. Today we are answering three standard questions regarding social media and what you share with professionals in your field.

What social media platforms should I be using?download (1)

If you don’t have a LinkedIn account yet, get one. LinkedIn is like your resume, but allows you to expand on your experience, showcase your talents and create a portfolio of your work. The point of LinkedIn is to make connections with people within your field, making it the perfect platform to find new opportunities, open yourself up to recruiters and develop your career.

Unlike LinkedIn, which is strictly business oriented, Facebook and Twitter can be used in both a personal and professional context. It all depends on who you choose to connect with. Depending on your field, you may want to separate your personal life and professional life into two accounts. Use a personal account to stay in touch with friends and a professional account to share professional development and advancement as well as interesting news in your industry.

Which pages should I include on a resume or business card?

The social media platforms you include depend on what you use the pages for. Just to reiterate, LinkedIn is a must! However, other social media should typically be left off your resume, unless it is a professional account relevant to the position you are applying for.

Examples of social media you can include are a professional blog you write or a company profile you shared content on. These examples highlight your ability to use social media in a professional setting and show off your knowledge about your field.

How should I present myself on social media?

Be consistent. Use the same username and the same picture and post similar content across all of your social media profiles.

Be active. Do not share social media you aren’t regularly posting to. Trying to connect using a profile you haven’t posted to in months will not give a good impression.

Be appropriate. This tip should go without saying, but don’t swear or discuss inappropriate subjects. If you wouldn’t talk that way in front of your boss, don’t say it on a professional account.

 

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Building a Stellar Resume

July 25th, 2016 by

Your resume is the first impression you leave with a potential employer. Before the interview, they’ve already reviewed your skills and accomplishments. Don’t let a bad resume be the reason you can’t get your foot in the door. Follow these tips to help you create a stellar resume as you take the next step towards your dream job.

A well constructed resume includes the following sections:

Summary statement. This is the first section of your resume and it should be short and sweet. Just a quick blurb about who you are and what experience you have to offer. Ex. “Public relations professional with 5+ years experience using innovative social media tactics…”

Notable skills. Now is your chance to tell your potential employer what useful skills you have that make you the perfect candidate for the position. You can include soft skills such as teamwork and time management, but most employers expect that from all candidates. Try to highlight the specific skill sets you have and include software you are familiar with.

13903383190_5920c870e1_bProfessional experience. Where have you worked, what have you done and how have you used the skills you mentioned? You do not need to include every job you’ve ever had. Only include relevant experience to the position you’re applying for and make sure you are honest. Omitting irrelevant experience is fine, including experience you’ve never had is not.  

Key projects and accomplishments. This section can actually be included as a subsection for your professional experience. Describe impressive projects you’ve worked on, especially if you received recognition or an award for your accomplishment.

Additional experience. Include volunteer work, internships, freelance and consulting work. Make sure you describe the work and create a connection between your skills and your professional experience.

Education. Where you went to school and the degree you received should typically be the last section on your resume. Unless you are using your resume to get an internship or entry-level position, your major and GPA are often less important than the experience and skills you’ve acquired.

Don’t overshare.

Believe it or not, some people put everything on their resume, including their favorite color and how many kids they have. Stick to skills and experience and leave the personal details about friends, family and non-professional hobbies out of your resume.

Remember to proofread for spelling and grammar and keep things consistent. This means using the same punctuation, using either paragraph or bulleted format, not both, and keeping text the same size and style throughout.

Take Next Step Academy’s “Career Readiness” course for more professional and career building tips.

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The 20-Hour Rule

July 18th, 2016 by

We all want to become better at something. After all, learning new skills is necessary to give yourself an edge as you develop your career. For many years the 10,000 hour rule popularized by Malcolm Gladwell has been the standard for mastering skills. If you do the math, 10,000 hours equates to about 90 minutes of practice every day for 20 years!

6-Ways-to-Learn-New-Skills-OnlineThe truth is, to reach a reasonable and useful level of skill proficiency, you only need to commit yourself to 20 hours, not 20 years. Whether you want to become better at public speaking or learn HTML, you can develop the new skill by dedicating yourself to just 40 minutes of practice each day for one month.

So how exactly do you learn a new skill with the 20 hour rule?

  • 1. First, you need to decide what skills will help you on your career path. Then, you need to pre-commit to 20 hours of dedicated practice. The 20 hour rule is a good way to gauge interest in the skill. If you aren’t willing to schedule 40 minutes a day to learn a particular skill, then you should consider learning something else.

 

  • 2. Once you’ve committed to learning a new skill, break it down into smaller more manageable sub-skills. This eliminates the tendency to feel overwhelmed, making it easier to get started. You can break down a skill like HTML into first learning how to place tags, then how to manipulate text, then how to create links, and so on.

 

  • 3. After you’ve broken up a skill into sub-skills, decide which sub-skills are most important and focus on those first. By dedicating your early practice to the fundamental sub-skills you’ll notice a significant increase in your performance after just a few hours of commitment.


Need ideas for a new skill to develop? Check out one of Next Step Academy’s job skills courses.

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Tips For Starting a New Job

July 11th, 2016 by

You’ve nailed the interview, they offered you the job, now you’re tasked with navigating a new office and work environment. Here are five tips for being successful when starting your new job.

  1. Arrive on time. Nothing gives off a worse first impression than being late on your first day. Try to arrive at least five minutes early. That means in the office and ready to go five minutes early, not parking five minutes before the work day begins.
  1. Know the dress code/code of conduct. Make sure you know how to dress and act in your new work environment. Don’t show up under-dressed, but also don’t overdress for the position. Get a feel for how people act in the office and match their level of professionalism.
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  1. Get to know your fellow employees. Work will never be truly enjoyable if you don’t like or get along with your coworkers. Take the time to get to know the people you work with. The ability to work well with other employees will be important in all facets of your professional life.
  1. Ask questions. Your new employer wants you to be a self-starter and able to take charge of projects, but they also want you to know how to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to speak up if you don’t understand a task or need a little more direction. Your employer will appreciate your dedication and moxie.
  1. Give it time to get yourself adjusted. Work is work, but it is also a social and cultural institution in your life. Anytime you jump into a new circle of people and a new set of tasks and expectations, it takes time to get adjusted. Don’t get stressed if you aren’t totally comfortable in your job right away, give yourself time, you’ll get there.

For more professional development tips visit hr.nextstepacademy.com

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Facing Rejection

January 12th, 2016 by

success-846055_1920First of all, Happy New Year to all our followers! To kick off 2016, I wanted to start with an uplifting topic—handling rejection. Now, I agree, it might not sound uplifting off-the-bat, but trust me, after reading you’ll be seeing rejection in a completely new and refreshing light.

Rejection can be difficult and it can be part of any aspect of life. School, career, relationships, finances—rejection can happen everywhere. So, what should you do when you’ve been faced with rejection?


Don’t take it personally.

This, in my humble opinion, is the most difficult. When you’re facing rejection it feels like you’re being told that you’re simply not good enough, and that alone can stop you in your tracks.

Try thinking about it this way: it’s not all about you! The other person (hiring manager, college admissions officer, etc.) is, like you, trying to do their best. They are faced with their own daily personal and professional challenges. You’ll often never know the fully story behind your rejection, so don’t assume it’s all about you.

Talk to a trusted and honest person. 

Handling rejection, especially when it comes to a relationship, can be tricky.
If you find yourself in a scenario where you have direct information about the rejection, find someone you can trust. Calmly talk through your feelings with that person. Listen to what they have to say, even if it’s upsetting. Remember to breathe and not to take it personally. Every rejection is a learning opportunity.

Do something about it.
Just because you’ve been faced with rejection does not mean you should count yourself down or out!

In light of rejection, we sometimes have to acknowledge our shortcomings. Was it a school you didn’t get accepted to, a great job opportunity you didn’t get called back for, a loan you didn’t qualify for? Regardless, there is always room for improvement— and that should excite you!

Don’t give up without a fight. 

Figure out your options. Make a plan. Follow through, and try again!

Shake it off and repeat. Successful people are only successful because they didn’t give up when they faced rejection. There is no reason why you can’t be one of them.

Maintain your flexibility. 

This is your reality check. We don’t always get what we think we want, and many times, it’s for the best. Be open to changing your plan. Rejection has a way of nudging us toward new endeavors we may never consider otherwise.

So, next time you find yourself facing rejection, remember these helpful tips. Now, take some time and look through Next Step Academy’s Life Skills courses and continue on your path to success!

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