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Talking Shop: Why Professional Growth Is Critical to a Successful Career

Posted: 26 Jun 2019 01:00 PM PDT

Whether you're an employee or a manager, personal and professional growth may be the key to your long-term success. Even if you feel like you are in a good spot in your career, if you aren't seeking opportunities for growth, you could be hurting your chances for future success.

Bill Eckstrom

Bill Eckstrom is the president and founder of the EcSell Institute, which helps managers, executives, and organizations grow by providing research, data, and clarity into how their teams are performing. Eckstrom believes that when you aren't growing, you're stuck in a cycle that eventually leads to stagnation. It's searching out development opportunities, whether they be on the job or off, that can break the cycle and get you moving forward again.

In addition to individuals benefiting from seeking out opportunities for growth, Eckstrom says, organizations as a whole reap similar benefits.

We recently had the chance to speak with Eckstrom about professional growth, how it relates to professional development and the steps you should take if you feel you aren't growing.

What is professional growth?

Q: How do you define professional growth? Does it have to take place in the classroom? Can it take place on the job?  

A: The way I view professional growth is the development or better use of talents and skills that lead to improved outcomes. This development can take place in many differing places – on the job or [in] off-the-job environments. 

On the job can be the result of experiential learning, coaching relationships, classroom, etc. However, too often people view professional growth as something that is only on the job, but it is not. For example, one of our executive leaders became a certified yoga instructor, and we have all benefited from her growth. She is more calm under fire, she has taught us more patience, and she is a better overall coach. 

Q: How is professional growth different from professional development? 

A: I understand why this can be confusing. Here is how the EcSell Institute views this: Development is the process that leads to growth. Growth is an outcome, and development is the input or the action that creates it.

Q: Should you expect professional growth to lead directly to a promotion? 

A: While perhaps correlated, they have little to do with each other. The best companies with whom we work weave professional growth into the fabric of their culture. It is not something that is done just for a promotion; it is done because, environmentally, people want to grow. 

People in these environments have an aversion to order and stagnation. This is why doing career development plans is so critical. It provides an opportunity to focus on growth and not just a promotion. If growth leads to a promotion, so be it, but everyone from the front line to the top execs should be looking for ways to improve their own performance – regardless of the corporate-ladder outcome.

Q: What are the negatives that come from not growing professionally? 

A: Too much order leads to stagnation. Doing the same thing over and over again (order) will eventually lead to no growth, and no growth is typically followed by stagnation (negative growth). What breaks this cycle are complexity environments created by changing inputs. The challenge is, complexity environments create discomfort, and as a result, people avoid them. The irony is that growth only occurs in a state of discomfort. We get very in-depth on this topic in our book, The Coaching Effect. 

How to grow professionally 

Q: Where should you look for opportunities for professional growth? 

A: Chances are one's opportunities for growth are nearby. Watch and learn from bosses (however, it is likely only 40% of them are worthy of emulating), meet with friends and ask questions, and ask family and close work peers about your growth opportunities.  

Attend association meetings and events. While there, don't just learn about the latest market news – focus on your own self-improvement. Read books, watch videos (like this TEDx Talk called "Why Comfort Will Ruin Your Life"), or hire your own coach like I did. There are really no excuses; if one looks hard enough, they will find wonderful opportunities for self-improvement.

Q: What type of professional growth goals should you be setting for yourself? 

A: I believe these to be unique to the individual. Personally, I categorize my goals into mental, intellectual and physical, but obviously, there are unique ways to grow within each. 

To attain mental growth, I meditate, journal and list gratitudes five days a week. Physical development consists of working with a trainer two days a week and walking another two or three days. For intellectual development, I am always reading a book or watching a video that stretches the way I think. 

Q: What steps should you take if you feel you are stuck and aren't growing professionally? 

A: Some sort of disruption needs to occur. What I always say is one must find a way to get out of order and find a way to enter the complexity environment. This can be accomplished by finding new or differing work, new classroom learning, a new boss, or a new attitude. 

The key is not letting it get so bad that one hits rock bottom before change occurs. Intellectual understanding (consciousness of your perceived reality) doesn't often lead to disruption as much as being emotionally ready; however, this typically happens when one hits rock bottom. We need to be emotionally aware enough to know when we reach this crossroads.

Rapid-fire questions

Q: What piece of technology could you not live without? 

A: Technology is morphing into us as human beings, and while perhaps for the better, it also hinders human relational interactions. Don't misunderstand – my phone goes with me most everywhere and I have a tablet next to my bed, and while it would bother me if they were lost, it would not cripple me. 

Q: What is the best piece of career advice you have ever been given? 

A: Not sure where it came from, but it was the epiphany that all team growth begins with me. I try very hard to always be developing new and existing skills and talents, because the performance of a team is always a reflection of how they are coached. 

Q: What's the best book or blog you've read this year?

A: Origin by Dan Brown comes to mind as an interesting book. Certainly not his best work, but like I mentioned earlier, he challenges the way I think about things.  

For blogs, anything written by Dr. Peter Jensen's company, Performance Coaching. He is a renowned Olympic sports psychologist, and I learn so much from his work. 

Q: What's the biggest risk you've taken professionally? Did it pay off? 

A: Starting this company, EcSell Institute. I sunk almost every penny I had into this business and realized the old cliche was true – it will take three times as long and cost three times as much. And in spite of this, it has paid off. 

I also realize this type of risk isn't for everyone. People think I was brave to do this, but one could also legitimately argue I was stupid, and both would be right. 

Q: What's the one thing you want to make sure you accomplish this year? 

A: Being more present. I write the word "presence" every morning when I journal and work hard to live this every day. My mind does an amazing job of moving forward and backward, but it needs to be more in the now. I am already seeing and feeling improvement of moving from my subconscious thinking to more conscious thinking.

Yelp Unveils Business Page Upgrades

Posted: 26 Jun 2019 11:03 AM PDT

  • Yelp gives businesses more control over their presence on the platform with its paid products: Business Highlights and Portfolio.
  • Officials believe the paid products will help users "address pain points specific to local business."
  • The upgrades each cost an additional $2 per day.

Since its launch 14 years ago, Yelp has been used by entrepreneurs and consumers alike to bolster local small businesses and democratize how people seek out those companies. Earlier today, the platform introduced two new paid products that it says will help small businesses upgrade their profiles and stand out from their peers.

For $2 each per day, Yelp's Business Highlights and Portfolio options give small business owners more control over the way their company is presented on the platform. Officials said the two products are available for purchase today on the Yelp for Business Owners site and will be major parts of a new self-service experience.

"Yelp has always been a place for consumers to discover hardworking business owners who've earned their great reputation over the years," said Vivek Patel, Yelp's chief product officer.

How SMBs can use Yelp's new features

These two new features will be of particular use to brand-new small businesses that have fewer reviews than their longer-running competitors. Officials said these new additions "demonstrate Yelp's focus and continued investment in business product innovation to bring even more value, beyond search ads, to the millions of businesses on the platform."

Business users who sign up for Business Highlights can select up to six badges from more than 30 options to add to their profile. Each badge highlights a unique attribute of the business, such as "veteran-owned and operated," "free WiFi" and "walk-ins welcome." Two badge icons will also appear in that business's search results on Yelp, allowing them a chance to stand out while giving potential customers an easy way to determine if a business lines up with their values or needs.

Portfolio lets businesses showcase their work to "build consumer trust and attract new clients." With this service, business profiles display photos of past projects to illustrate the process and results, and captions to expand on the details. Officials said Portfolio could help small businesses generate leads.

"With these new business page upgrades, we're making a commitment to helping the entire business owner community, especially those who are newer to the platform, address key pain points by giving them the tools to stand out and acquire new customers," Patel said.

New additions part of ongoing strategy

Yelp officials said Business Highlights and Portfolio work in tandem with the Yelp Verified Business program that went live earlier this year. That feature gave verified small businesses a blue shield and a check mark next to their names within the app. The icon, officials said, makes it easier for consumers to find businesses near them with a valid trade license.

"After 30 days of having a Verified License badge on their business page, businesses saw a meaningful increase in consumer engagement on Yelp, including clicks, calls and map views," Yelp officials said.

To earn a verification badge, businesses must apply through Yelp. The company then verifies each license. Depending on their specific category and location, qualified businesses pay $1 a day, on average, for the service.

All three services will be a part of a new Yelp for Business portal that lets SMB owners customize their pages with the upgrades. Haily Pistacchi, marketing manager of Lemon Remodeling and Services in San Jose, California, said these three additions have already benefited her company.

"After signing up for all three of Yelp's new products, we saw a 200% lift in activity on our business page, which led to a noticeable increase in leads," she said. "Products like Portfolio and Business Highlights have helped us demonstrate our expertise to set us apart from other contractors and share what matters most about our business right from our Yelp page, the way we would if we were face-to-face with a customer. Yelp Verified License helps us instill confidence with potential customers who now have another reason to trust us with the job."

How to Write Better Job Descriptions

Posted: 26 Jun 2019 09:30 AM PDT

Wonder why you're not getting great job applicants? You might want to take a closer look at how you write your job descriptions.

As the unemployment rate falls and the battle for talent heats up, job listings are becoming much more competitive.

For every great job description, there are many more that simply list keywords related to job duties, tasks, qualifications and experience requirements. While it's easy to write job descriptions that are simply lists of keywords, these descriptions are hard for applicants to read and understand. They also attract job seekers who are mass-applying to jobs – and who might not be a good fit for your organization.

Instead of focusing on getting a high number of applications, you should focus on attracting the right talent. Your job listing will be many candidates' first impression of your company. While you want to avoid keyword stuffing, you also don't want to fill your listing with cliches or fluff.

So how do you create a more effective job description to attract the right candidates? Business owners, recruiters, marketing managers and career experts outlined the basics.

What to include

A good job description goes deeper than a typical list of skills, tasks and role requirements. To attract the highest-quality and best-fit applicants to your position, give them a feel for your company culture, said Jean Cook, a former business coach for The Alternative Board.

Rebecca Barnes-Hogg, founder and CEO of YOLO Insights, shared similar views, stating that quality employees will invest in businesses that reflect their own interests and values.

"They want to understand your products and what you stand for," she said. "Your ad needs to tell them that. The first few sentences need to capture the candidate's attention. Like any effective sales pitch, make it about them and their interests."

Jaynine Howard, founder and career strategist at JJ Howard & Associates, recommends being upfront about salary in a job description. Many applicants will turn down an offer at the last minute after being informed of the pay, she added. Clearing this up from the start will prevent you and your applicants from wasting time.

Michael Lan, senior resume consultant at Resume Writer Direct, recommends including application directions that contain a specific call to action. Whether it's to email a specific person, leave a phone message or include a code word in their cover letter, asking applicants to do something extra can help you quickly narrow down your interview pool.

A clear call to action like this "serves as a built-in screening process, as you will be able to weed out applicants who are not able to follow directions and demonstrate a clear lack of attention to detail," Lan said.

How to present it

When you sit down to write your job description, you'll want to use a tone that represents your company's brand, said Joseph Terach, co-founder of Resume Deli. For instance, if you're searching for creative employees, make your job post quirky and amusing. Detail-oriented tech employees, on the other hand, may do better with concrete lists of necessary skills.

Since many people are distracted and rushed, they will likely respond better to listings that are easy to read or scan, especially on mobile devices. Don't overwhelm your candidates with useless information or lengthy paragraphs.

Steve Dempsey, COO of staffing firm Aquent, recommends organizing key responsibilities with bullet points and separating sections with descriptive headers.

"Most job seekers are scanning," he said. "They are on the hunt for the right job and will look at a job post and scan the details before deciding to apply, or to ignore it."

Jan Hudson, COO of Surf Search, agrees. "Most job candidates search job boards on their phones now. Keep it simple, and always use bullet points." Hudson also suggests using the headings "Responsibilities" and "Requirements" before bulleted lists for added clarity.

Finally, light humor can make candidates remember your listing and want to apply. Chris Mindel, marketing manager at Dexter Edward LLC, uses subtle jokes in his job descriptions. "It makes the applicant smile when they think about your company," he said. "They're more likely to apply."  

Writing your job description

Taking all of this advice into account can be overwhelming.

For your next open position, consider using a two-sentence opening pitch about your company, two bulleted lists under the headings "Responsibilities" and "Requirements," and a short one-sentence call to action asking the applicant to click a link to fill out an application.

For better readability and a higher response rate, make sure to include the important information about job duties, skills, tasks, and necessary experience in the "Responsibilities" and "Requirements" lists.

Hudson provided the following job description, which attracted candidates with excellent qualifications in the life sciences field:

Global medical devices leader seeks a Supplier Quality Manager to lead a supplier quality team in the development of new Class III medical devices. The Supplier Quality Manager will lead supplier quality initiatives and qualifications, as well as provide mentoring and oversight of a supplier quality team. Travel is expected to be around 25%, both domestic and international.   

Requirements:

  • Bachelor's degree in engineering required; advanced degree preferred
  • 8+ years relevant experience in medical devices, preferably Class III
  • A background in medical device product development
  • 5+ years leadership experience
  • Strong management and leadership skills to ensure management, growth and development of personnel
  • Previous supervisory experience
  • Strong statistical and analytical skills
  • A track record of accomplishment managing multiple competing projects or programs
  • The ability to travel up to 25% both domestic and international
  • Quality certifications such as ASQ CQA, CBA, AQA, RAB, CQE strongly preferred
  • Lead auditor certification preferred
  • Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, etc.)
  • Strong working knowledge of Quality System regulation (QSR/FDA regulation) and ISO 13485 standards
  • Design control and validation experience is a plus

Responsibilities:

  • Manage investigation nonconformance issues identified for device components
  • Ensure compliance of supplier files
  • Identify supplier quality engineering resource requirements and manage resources to provide quality coverage for the new product development programs
  • Lead continuous improvement initiatives, including quality system and supplier qualification procedures
  • Manage supplier quality team

Dustin Diehl, director of content marketing at Digital Current, provided this quirky job post aimed at attracting a creative content marketer. Notice the use of headings and humorous voice.

Content Strategist

This is probably, what, the seventh job ad you've seen today? Tenth? Hey, if it's your first, we feel lucky! We understand finding a new job can be tough – so we want to make this as easy as possible.

What are you hiring for?

A content strategist!

What, exactly, is that?

If you have to ask, you may not be right for the job.

OK, well, what's Digital Current's definition of a content strategist?

Fair question! There are lots of different ways to interpret the role of a content strategist, so here's our take:

  • At DC (that's our abbreviation for Digital Current, not the comic book company, although that would be awesome – we'll ask you about your favorite Justice League member during your interview, don't worry), our content strategists:
  • Are digitally savvy
  • Understand the roles of content strategy and content marketing in today's digital marketing landscape
  • Have 2-4 years of experience in digital content strategy
  • Understand the importance of (and how to develop) personas, buyers' journey maps and content messaging, including voice, tone and style guidelines
  • Can conduct content audits to review existing content performance and quality
  • Work with SEO teams to incorporate the latest SEO best practices in their content recommendations and planning
  • Are comfortable presenting and speaking with clients
  • Can lead creative workshops and editorial planning sessions
  • Are always looking for ways to improve and educate themselves, their peers and their clients on the latest happenings in the digital content space

 Great! Where do I sign up?

Send us your resume and we'll set up a call! Can't wait to meet you.

How to make job descriptions work for you

Whether you're hiring a senior engineer or an entry-level marketing specialist, it's important to write concise job descriptions that showcase the most important parts of the position.

Use headings, bullet points and clear calls to action to increase readability and response rate.

Don't be afraid to make your job listing match your company culture – you'll attract more candidates who fit your organization.

Additional reporting by Brittney Morgan and Sammi Caramela. Some source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article. Miranda Jade Friel updated and provided additional sources for this article.

How to Use Facebook Groups to Market Your Business

Posted: 26 Jun 2019 07:00 AM PDT

When your brand has an optimized group on Facebook with active members, it positions you as a leader in your niche and encourages users to invest in it further. If you take the time to get to know your audience, which is significantly easier to do via groups than on your website, it helps your growth strategy.

Here is how your brand can use Facebook groups to boost its marketing strategy and grow exponentially.

Set your goals

Prior to setting up your group, you'll want to lay out the goals you're trying to achieve with it and what you hope to get out of it. Just like any business venture, setting goals is a way to keep track of your brand's success and a way to measure if you've reached your objectives within a certain time period. It helps keeps you accountable so you can meet those criteria.

Spend time figuring out what you hope to achieve with your Facebook group. Are you trying to send more traffic back to your website? Do you want to improve engagement and get users to actively discuss your brand and its products and services? Do you want to get to know your audience on a deeper, more meaningful level? Based on what your objective is, you'll be able to create a group that's surrounded by that goal so you see the right results.

In a case study by Smart Insights, the brand was able to garner more than 2500 new members in just a few short weeks by first researching its customer base and creating a group based on their needs and interests.

Optimize the group profile

Just like with any social media account, it's essential to optimize your Facebook group in every area you can so that it can not only be found by your target audience but also be enticing for them enough to join. If visitors come across an empty or half filled out profile, they're not going to care to invest in your brand or want to know more. You have to encourage and convince them that your business is worth their time and worth joining.

To optimize your group, you need to fill out all the information you can. This includes the profile picture, header, bio, about section, and rules, to name a few. Spend extra time explaining who you are as a brand and emphasize the value it brings to its customers. Users want to know why they should choose to join your group over someone else's. Additionally, in order to convince them, you need to explicitly give them reasons why it's beneficial to them.

Instead of simply stating, for example, that you're a catering business that prepares food, you could go into detail about how your service has helped customers and made it easy for them to cater from you so they didn't have to stress over the dirty work. By going into detail about how you offer value to your clients, people will be more willing to join and stay.

Foster a sense of community

Sometimes there can be a disconnect between a brand and its audience, which can lead to people feeling left out or confused. Part of what's cool about Facebook groups is that you can help to foster a sense of community by encouraging your audience to engage with your content and have discussions surrounding it.

It's more difficult to build a community through your website and regular social media, which is why groups are so valuable. Facebook's algorithm prioritizes connections between communities, friends, and family, which is why it's important to encourage your audience to post to the group. You want them sharing their thoughts, experiences, and questions about your brand. You'll find that others will pitch in to add their own experience and this will start a domino effect of communication.

Depending on how rapidly your group grows, you can build a sense of community within it by welcoming each individual member who joins by making a shoutout post. Other members can comment welcoming them to the group as well, which will help them feel like they belong and make them feel comfortable enough to post content of their own.

Post consistently

If you join a group on Facebook only to find that content is posted sporadically or hardly at all, would you want to stay connected to it? For most people, the answer is no. There's no value in joining and staying in a group that's stagnant and has nothing going on in it. Users will see this and leave and never return. 

To avoid this, make sure you post content regularly to your business group. Even a simple post updating your audience on what's new with your brand or asking them what they think about a specific product is enough to boost engagement and get people talking. So things stay interesting and don't go stale, you should set up a schedule in which you post weekly prompts for users to respond to.

Take advantage of marketing automation tools that help you post consistently so you don't miss out on conversions to your group and continue to grow it even if you aren't actively on it all the time.

Engage with your audience

There's nothing worse than being in a Facebook group, asking a question for the admin or business owner, and hearing crickets. If you aren't active or engaged in your group, you can't expect your members to be. They'll lose interest quickly once they realize you're nowhere to be found. They will feel like you don't care about their interaction if you're never active.

Be sure to engage with your audience on a regular basis. Running a business takes a lot of work, but you should carve out time specifically for your group to answer customers' questions, let them know what's new with your brand, and respond to their comments. This shows them you care about what they have to say and are present.

Express exclusivity

Facebook gives you the option to set your group to public or private. If private, when someone joins, it's up to you as the admin to approve their acceptance into the group. By doing so, you create a sense of exclusivity that isn't found on social media or your website. It makes users feel special and is also a great way to keep them interested.

Leverage this exclusive element by offering your group members value they can't get anywhere else. Make it known that, because they're part of your group, they'll get offers and content that's just for them. Use Facebook's live streaming feature to create content just for them and share thoughtful insights. Make it feel like it's a reward to be a member and they'll be more enthused to stay right where they are, engage with your posts, and answer questions you put out there.

Facebook groups are a great way to get in touch with your target market, get to know them better, and help build a sense of community they can't find elsewhere. It's important to post consistently, engage with your members, and give them exclusive offers they don't want to miss out on. By taking the time to set your goals and optimize your group page, your audience will be able to find you quicker and easier than ever before.

How to Drive Quality Traffic to Your Website

Posted: 26 Jun 2019 06:00 AM PDT

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a critical part of the online process, but it's a process that takes time. While you're working on that and waiting for the results to kick in, here are seven tips for driving more traffic to your website in the next 90 days.

Get social

Hopefully, you are already a member of multiple social media networks and have built up a bit of a following. Even if you haven't, you will want to make sure you start promoting your website across all social media channels right away. It's a quid pro quo relationship as your social followers will visit your site and you're adding some valuable content to those channels.

While it's important to research the right social networks for you based on demographics, business type, and your expectations, it goes without saying that you should be on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Facebook remains the white whale in terms of social networks that can drive traffic in bunches. LinkedIn is a critical connection for your business to your industry and other professionals. And while Twitter isn't a massive traffic driver, it's a smart way to start engaging with your audience and integrating yourself into the conversations that your audience is having.

Depending on what you do and who you want to reach, you'll want to figure out if you also need to be on Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest and YouTube. Whichever networks you join, make sure you commit to it and keep giving your followers reasons to click through.

Be a good guest blogger

Regardless of what kind of company you run, having a blog on your website is a great way to generate content on a continual basis. This will benefit your followers and help with your SEO efforts. While you're waiting for people to find your blog through Google and Bing, you can jumpstart some traffic by offering yourself up as a guest blogger to other sites. When we started our real estate investing company, Nexus Homebuyers, we primarily used guest posts on real estate and local blogs to drive qualified traffic to our site. Over time, this has been our most effective way to drive relevant traffic and increase our search engine visibility.

There are several keys to keep in mind in order to make guest blogging successful. First, make sure you're focusing on sites in your specific field or niche. It's not just about driving traffic back to your site, it's about driving quality traffic to your site. Make sure you are using your real name, real company name, and including links to your site since that's the entire point of doing this. Make sure that what you're writing is valuable and gives people a reason to dig further. And make sure you're citing sources and linking your content to other top players in the field so you're seen as part of the community.

Invite guests to your blog

Just like you can spread the word about your website by guest blogging on other sites, you can also host guest bloggers on your site. While you might be concerned about giving up editorial space to someone outside your company, you can be strategic about who you invite to do so based on some very specific criteria.

First, make sure it's not a direct competitor as you don't want to give away customers. But do make sure it's someone who has something worthwhile to say to your audience. You also want to look for guest bloggers who have a strong web and social media presence of their own. They're going to share their guest post with their followers, which means lots of traffic back to your site.

Become a member of the community

The days of spamming your link to every message board and link network are long over, but there are still ways to get out there and interact with your audience that will generate traffic back to your site. If you're not familiar with Reddit, get up to speed. Then find a subreddit or two that make sense for your business or audience and become a member of the community.

Don't overdo it. Simply create organic conversations and encourage people to check you and your business out. Look for other platforms, blogs, and sites like this in your industry and make it more about establishing yourself authentically than trying to blast your link out over and over. This way you can start generating quality traffic that will build over time.

Build a newsletter

Another important step in encouraging people to become a part of your community is the creation of a newsletter. A weekly newsletter is a dependable way to ensure that people are coming back to your site and that they're showing up with purpose. It might be slow going at first as you attract new signups, but that list will only build, especially if you provide valuable information in your newsletter that your followers can't get anywhere else. If you can connect the tease in the newsletter to content on your site, you're creating a circle of influence that will keep people there longer.

Start a podcast

Podcasting is one of the hottest trends out there and with good reason. According to Podcast Insights, 51 percent of Americans have listened to a podcast at least once and 62 million listen to podcasts weekly. While it is a bit of a crowded field, that doesn't mean you can't stand out. Find an interesting niche that you can own, figure out who to invite on as guests and experts, and build a dedicated schedule that subscribers will want to add to their queue. Don't make the podcast about your business, but make sure your business is referenced or sponsoring. This, of course, means including your website in all promotion. As your podcast audience grows, so will traffic to your site as people want to learn more.

Buy some ads

If you've got a budget to work with, investing in Google Ads or Facebook Ads can be a solid investment when trying to build a new audience and drive site traffic. Pay-per-click (PPC) ads can be a good way to go as you're only paying for people who actually click through. Another option is to pay by impressions to a targeted audience of your choosing.

Either way, you're reaching people who have a potential interest in what you have to offer and are valuable additions to your traffic pool. You can even make the ad about signing up for your newsletter, thereby increasing the possibility they'll keep coming back to your site again and again.

In the end, it is about incorporating multiple strategies. While you might drive some traffic focusing on just one tactic, you definitely won't gain the type of following you are looking without having a multi-faceted approach.

Job Hunting 101 for New Grads and Seasoned Professionals

Posted: 26 Jun 2019 05:20 AM PDT

So you're looking for a job. Maybe you're a new grad seeking that first real job, or you're an experienced professional looking for the next step in your career. No matter what point in life you're at, the job search can be difficult and frustrating. You're often more likely to not hear back from a company than you are to get a response, filling out applications can feel endless and redundant (especially when you have to upload your resume and fill out a form), and it can seem like you're navigating through the process blind as to what companies want.

We can help. Check out this guide for newbies and experienced professionals who want a job.

For new grads

Make your resume (or CV) perfect

A resume and a curriculum vitae (CV) are two different ways of listing your experience and skills. A CV is longer than a resume, usually two to three pages, and is credential-based, providing a comprehensive list of your education, certifications, research experience and any professional affiliations or memberships. CVs are typically submitted for jobs in academia, research and medicine.

A resume is usually one page and is competency-based, showcasing your skills, notable achievements and work experience.

Keeping your resume succinct is important — most companies will expect one page; you can go up to two pages if the experience you list is important and clearly related to the job you are applying for.

When submitting a CV or resume, make sure it is grammatically perfect.

And we mean perfect – check it twice, check it five times, have your roommate read it, send it to your high school English teacher – just make sure it is completely typo-free and the formatting is consistent. Run spellcheck and also consider a tool such as Grammarly, which can help you ensure you're error-free. [Read related article: Check out these tips for writing your resume.]

"The most common mistake I see is a typo or formatting error," said Kent Lewis, president and founder of Anvil Media. "We throw out resumes with even a single mistake."

To preserve your formatting, save and submit your resume as a PDF. This will ensure that your formatting stays the same no matter how your application is submitted.

You should also tailor your resume for each job application. You do not need to include every experience you've ever had, especially if it doesn't pertain directly to the role you are applying for. If you are applying to companies based entirely in one industry, you should be able to keep your resume largely the same. However, if you are applying for jobs that span multiple industries, adjust your resume accordingly.

"As a business owner, it's very obvious [when applicants] use the same boilerplate resume for every job," said Marty Rogers, founder of Lead Peep. "You really do risk just being a number then."

Want more tips and tricks for making your resume perfect? Check out these related articles:

Craft a knockout cover letter

Your cover letter is arguably the most important part of your application, depending on your industry. It is your chance to explain to the hiring manager why you're perfect for the role and what you can do for their company. It also allows you to explain your experience and skills in more detail than what is on your concise resume. [Read related article: How to write a great cover letter]

Start with a proper heading and address the letter to the person doing the hiring rather than a generic address. If you can't find the hiring manager's name, avoid outdated salutations like "Dear Sir or Madam" or "To Whom It May Concern" and stick with a simple "Dear Hiring Manager."

Next, write an opening paragraph that catches their attention and expresses your excitement for the opportunity. This is your chance to mention where you found the job posting (such as if you were referred or found it on a job board) and why you are applying for the job.

Your middle paragraphs — no more than one or two — should go into detail about your relevant experience and how it relates to this job. Connect your past experience with how you will apply it to the new role. Avoid listing your experience line by line — the hiring manager already has your resume.

You need to show why your skills and experience matter to the company and what you offer that no other candidate does. Research the company and some of their recent work to get an idea of where your skills can fit in and incorporate this in your letter. Is there a project that you can add to? An initiative that sparks your interest? Mention those things to help your application stand out.

Close out your cover letter by thanking the employer for their time and consideration. You can also use this space to make any clarifications, like if you are planning to relocate to the area or need to explain an employment gap. Finish by expressing your interest in speaking further with them and sign your name. [Read related article: See sample cover letters]

Network

Networking – building a community of people to help you in your professional pursuits – is necessary as you embark on your career path.

You'll hear the recommendation to network a lot — and you would be wise to follow that advice, though it can be frustrating to be told to network when you feel as though you have no one to network with early in your career. But networking doesn't just have to be with seasoned career professionals who have been in the industry for decades.

"You can and should conduct a healthy mix of online and offline networking activities," said Reuben Yonatan, founder and CEO of GetVOIP. "Volunteering at organizations, connecting on LinkedIn and joining Facebook groups related to your industry are all easy ways to begin networking."

Another easy way to build connections is through the traditional route of job fairs and networking events. Your university alumni network should have networking events planned and information about local job fairs. Go to as many events that interest you, like coffee hours, guided tours, sports events – regardless of if they are in a strictly professional capacity. You never know who you will meet.

"Your network is the result of what you do, so do more," said Tom Dolfi, head of marketing at Pathfinder. "Take extra activities, volunteer for initiatives and projects, and attend events. Be knowledgeable as you engage with professionals. Ask them about their jobs, what they like or don't like, show interest in what they do, and let them know you are looking for advice. Then keep in touch via email or LinkedIn." [Read related article: Check out these seven ways to make a connection]

You should also develop a habit of mentioning your job search to as many people as you can. Your neighbor's friend's co-worker could have a contact in your industry that lands you an interview. [Read related article: Networking in the Age of Social Media]

Utilize online job boards

Although the most successful way to get a job is through networking, the majority of job searching is done online. LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Indeed and Monster are the most popular job searching websites, but there are also several niche industry sites like Ed2010 or MediaBistro for editorial jobs, eFinancialCareers for finance, or engineering.com. You can also check out these LinkedIn alternatives for job hunting.

Using job boards can be a great starting point, but because they can be impersonal, using them requires extra effort on your part to make your application stand out. Try to find the person in charge of hiring for that position on LinkedIn (or the company's website) and address your cover letter to them – this shows effort and personalizes your application, but don't fall into the trap of overcommunicating by sending too many LinkedIn messages and annoying the hiring manager.

You can also use LinkedIn to see if you have any contacts that work for the company – friends, former classmates or co-workers – that you can put down as a reference or have put in a good word for you.

Check your social profiles

Social media has permeated society so deeply that it has come to be widely regarded as an extension of our personalities and skills. [Read related article: See how to brand yourself on social media.]

As such, you should expect hiring managers to be Googling you, as well as checking your LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram or Facebook profiles. You'll not only need to ensure your profiles are free of inappropriate content, but you'll need to update them so they reflect favorably on you and your skills. You also want to ensure that your profile, and the information you share on your social media channels, is in keeping with the platform. In other words, don't share tech briefs on your Instagram profile, for example.

"Employers are more likely to hire people who are positive in the digital space," said Lisa Shumate, associate vice president at the University of Houston and general manager at Houston Public Media. "They expect you to be engaged in social media. They want to see that you will represent them well."

Your LinkedIn profile should be completely filled in with your academic history, notable projects you've worked on, your work history, and your marketable skills. Make sure you have a clear, professional photo that shows your face well as your profile picture — avoid dim lighting or pictures with other people.

LinkedIn is an excellent platform for displaying your academic and professional achievements as well as sharing articles relevant to your desired industry and researching prospective companies. [Read related article: How to get a job on LinkedIn]

"[LinkedIn can help you] read between the lines to discover what problems the company is trying to solve by hiring a person like you," said Larissa Lowthorp, founder and CEO of TimeJump Media. "You can use this information to tailor your answers in the interview."

Quality, not quantity

Dolfi said the one thing that did not work for him while he was searching for a job was "firing off lots of CVs in an attempt to apply for as many jobs as possible. I didn't understand that the key is to find the balance between quality and quantity. Yes, you need to send a number of applications, but they have to be well-thought-out and tailored. Otherwise, you end up generating a lot of output but no outcome."

Write a new cover letter for every job you apply for, and tailor your resume to present you in the best light.

For experienced professionals

Consider a personal website

If you have been in the professional working world for any length of time, you most likely have a LinkedIn profile as well as other social media profiles. But what you may not have but should, according to several experts, is a website. [Read related article: How to build a professional website.]

"A professional website can be as simple as a single page, or it can have multiple pages," said Yonatan. "[You can also] film a 20 to 30-second video introduction so your prospective employer has a chance to connect with you personally."

Yonatan said that a website doesn't have to be expensive. About $100 will buy you a domain and web hosting, and you can use a drag-and-drop site builder such as Squarespace or Weebly to create a digital resume.

Your website should be an extension of your personal brand. It should provide employers with a snapshot of who you are and what qualities you have that make you a valuable asset to the company.

Start by identifying what you want your website to accomplish for you. If you are job hunting, you should, at a minimum, have an 'About' section with a headshot and a brief introduction to you and what you do. Other elements to consider adding include work samples (if applicable), your career goals and your resume and/or CV.

Your website should be clean, simple and professional. Don't include too much extraneous information – you don't want to confuse or overwhelm viewers. If you do include work samples, be sparing with which ones you choose. Make sure it's only a few examples of your best work, not everything you've ever created.

You can also feature some of your interests and hobbies to help yourself stand out in the crowd.

Keep your resume to the point

As a seasoned professional, it is natural to want to list all of your achievements and accolades, but when applying for jobs, brevity is key. Keep your resume to one page – two pages, if absolutely necessary – and only list what is relevant to the specific job you are applying for.

"Too much information will turn into a lack of information," said Dolfi.

A targeted resume, however, will help propel you on to the next stage of the selection process.

"Most companies use applicant tracking systems to search for qualified candidates," said Lisa George, HR director at Edelstein & Company. "It's critical to include keywords from the job description on your resume as recruiters will set up their searches using these words. If the words are not found on your resume, you will never get past the first step."

For more seasoned workers, a professional resume-writing service, like what TopResume offers, can help get your resume past this first stage of the elimination process by ensuring your resume is properly formatted, has the right keywords and is written for the industry in which you are applying.

But because a resume also demonstrates your personal writing skills and voice, using a resume service should be carefully considered. Determine where you need help – if it is with your content, a resume-writing service may not be much help to you, but if it is organizing your experience into an easily readable, concise story that is formatted properly and utilizes keywords, then a service is probably worth it.

Alternatives to a resume

Some fields, particularly creative or artistic ones, have more leeway in how an applicant's information is presented. Although it never hurts to supply a traditional resume, you could submit a video as a supplement, if the situation is appropriate.

A video resume serves the same purpose as the printed version. It provides the company with an overview of your skills and experience. The benefit of a video resume is that you can show off your personality and display any visual or performance-based work you have produced (such as if you are an actor or dancer).

Beware, however. Creating a video resume can be a big risk. If you have limited filming and editing skills, your video can look unprofessional and work against you. Many managers will not accept video resumes on the basis of avoiding potential discrimination claims.

You should consider the situation carefully before deciding to submit a video resume. If you do, follow these tips:

  • Make sure it's professional. Pay attention to your outfit, how you speak and your background.
  • Have a script prepared.
  • Show, don't tell. Have a reason for using video rather than print.
  • Keep it short; no more than 30 to 90 seconds

Do your homework

It is critical to show up to the interview (whether by phone, Skype or in person) armed with as much knowledge about the position, company and hiring manager as possible. This allows you to ask targeted questions that demonstrate your knowledge of the company and showcase how your skills and experience uniquely qualify you for the job.

"Do your research," said Rogers. "Look at what they do and where you think you could add value – and tell them how. As a business owner, that would impress me [because] it shows work ethic and talent."

You can also use the STAR method – Situation, Task, Action, Result – when asked tough questions, like the dreaded "What are your biggest weaknesses?" in interviews, said Lowthorp.

"I describe a problem I faced in the workplace that did not turn out well. I explain the situation, factors I believe contributed to the problem, what I did to try and course-correct, how those efforts were received by colleagues, and what the end result was."

Lowthorp said to always follow up with what you learned and how you applied that knowledge with better results in subsequent situations. This demonstrates your ability to acknowledge personal errors and take responsibility, as well as grow from experience.

Make time for networking

Life gets busier as you get older, and it can be difficult to carve out time for networking, especially when you feel that you are in a stable career. But it is important to continue to network throughout every professional stage, said Beverly Friedmann, content manager at MyFoodSubscriptions.

"You should always maintain strong relationships with former colleagues and contacts you've worked with in the past," she said. "Building a strong professional network in any industry is not just invaluable, it's critical."

Looking for more resources on finding a job in the digital age? Check out these other Business News Daily articles.

After the application

Once your application is sent, send one follow-up email a few days later to ensure that your application has been received, thank the employer for their consideration and to reiterate your interest in the position. Keep it brief and direct. Don't send multiple messages. If you do not hear back, you can assume it is a rejection and move on.

Small Business Owners Feel Ready for Next Recession

Posted: 26 Jun 2019 05:01 AM PDT

  • 80% of entrepreneurs say they are "confident" their business can outlast an economic downturn.
  • 33% of respondents said they were growing their revenue streams, whether by expanding their consumer base, landing more contracts or other methods.
  • 8% of businesses surveyed are postponing an expansion, while another 8% are reducing operational expenses when possible to prepare for a recession.

Nearly 11 years ago, the American economy experienced multiple financial crises – such as the subprime mortgage bubble – that contributed to the largest recession since the Great Depression, resulting in lost benefits and shuttered businesses. While the country is currently experiencing a resurgent job market and a growing economy, a recent survey suggests that small businesses are already gearing up for the next economic bust.

According to a survey released today by Kabbage that polled more than 500 companies across multiple industries, 80% of American entrepreneurs said they felt confident in their readiness to weather another economic crisis.

Laura Goldberg, Kabbage's chief revenue officer, said the findings demonstrate a new kind of determination from business owners. "The grit and resilience of small business owners is admirable," she said. "Despite the growing fears of economists and Wall Street, entrepreneurs are ready to rise to the challenge."

SMBs preparing for a downturn by increasing today's revenue

While the survey's findings suggest a high level of confidence among SMB owners, that's not to say their expectations for the future are rosy. Kabbage said every small business owner polled said they expected a slowdown in the future, reflecting what some experts have been warning about for a while now.

In preparation, officials said entrepreneurs have begun increasing their cash flow in a number of ways to squirrel away funds for when things get tight. According to the survey, 33% of respondents said they've been actively "growing their customer base, securing more contracts or expanding sales." Additionally, 21% said they were launching new products or services, while 13% said they were pursuing business partnerships to sell to a larger customer base.

A business owner in Texas told Kabbage that they were ready to "change my marketing or selling strategies," noting that they "learned from the last recession."

A retail business owner in California said they run their business from the experience they gained in the recession. "If a recession were to happen, we would view it as an opportunity to gain a bigger portion of our industry."

A medical services provider in New Jersey told Kabbage that their practice "has sustained over 30 years of economic downturns, severe storms and just about every other obstacle. Of course, economic issues affect us, but we continually reinvent the way we manage the business to do whatever it takes to sustain it."

"The data demonstrates how every small business is unique and how market shifts impact them individually," Goldberg said. "The constant among them is their confidence to build their business and pursue their passion despite any hurdle."

Small business owners cutting costs to save for tough times ahead

Along with trying to increase incoming revenue, small business owners are preparing for the next recession by reducing the amount their businesses spend, researchers found.

According to the survey, 8% said they planned on reducing operational expenses to save more money in the long run.

"We always run lean to ensure survival if there is a downturn," one marketing agency owner in Florida told Kabbage.

Another 8% said they were building up their cash reserves by postponing a planned business expansion, while 7% said they were holding off on hiring more employees.

Amazon Prime Day FAQs

Posted: 25 Jun 2019 07:43 AM PDT

Everything's coming up Amazon as Prime Day approaches and the company claims its new title as the world's largest retailer, edging out longtime top dog Walmart.

If you want to cash in on the deals this season, here's everything you need to know about Amazon Prime Day deals in 2019, and Prime memberships in general.

Amazon Prime Day FAQ

When is Amazon Prime Day?

Amazon Prime Day 2019 begins at midnight (PST) on Monday, July 15, and will run through Tuesday, July 16.

What is Prime Day?

Amazon Prime Day is an annual 36-hour flash sale. The exact date of Prime Day is not publicized so shoppers who want to cash in on fantastic deals need to stay alert.  

Who can get deals on Amazon Prime Day?

You must be an Amazon Prime subscriber to access the deals offered on Prime Day. You also have to be logged into your Amazon account to see the deals.

What goes on sale on Amazon Prime Day?

During Amazon's previous sales extravaganzas, the retail giant has offered deep discounts on all sorts of products:  TVs, furniture, appliances and other everyday essentials. Usually, flagship devices like Amazon's Fire tablets and TVs and Echo speakers go on sale as well.

How do I find the best Amazon Prime Day deals?

Amazon Prime Day is a massive promotion, with about 1 million deals being offered during the 36-hour sale window.  Past Prime Days have featured steep discounts on technology, so lots of tech outlets serve up live coverage of the best items offered on Prime day.

The other option to monitor deals is, of course, to just stay logged into your Prime member account and refresh the home page regularly, so you don't miss anything. You may also want to make a list of whatever you're hoping to snag, so you can stay focused on what you really need and avoid overbuying just to take advantage of a deal.

For those who own an Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show, Amazon Tap, Fire TV or a Fire tablet, you can access Alexa-exclusive deals accessed through voice shopping. You can preview, track and shop for specific items as you are alerted to new ones from the Amazon App or at amazon.com/watched. 

What is Anti-Prime day?

To compete with Amazon, other retailers like Best Buy and Walmart have started running their own sales on Prime Day. If you're buying big-ticket items, shop around.  Just because Amazon is running a deal doesn't mean it's the best deal out there.

Amazon Prime FAQs

If you want to take advantage of Prime Day deals, you must be a Prime subscriber. Here's what you need to know.

What is Amazon Prime?

Amazon Prime is a subscription offered by Amazon that provides a few benefits to subscribers. The service is typically $12.99 a month (or $199 a year), but students and recipients of Medicaid can get Prime for just $6.99 per month. That is an expansion of the program that affords a deal to anyone on government assistance programs, including food stamps. It requires customers to have a valid Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. 

A subscription includes access to Prime Video and unlimited reading, music streaming, and photo storage, as well as free same day delivery on eligible Prime products. 

What shipping discounts does Amazon Prime offer?

Amazon offers free two-day shipping in the contiguous U.S. for Prime products; same-day delivery is available in eligible ZIP codes and in select cities. It is $2.99 or $5.99 on most other orders. In those cities, you can get 1-hour delivery for thousands of products at local stores. And you can get free two-hour delivery in eligible ZIP codes through Prime Now. Saturday shipping prices vary by item size and weight, and start as low as $7.99. Orders over $1,300 may require a signature. 

Consumers in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico can expect Prime deliveries in three to seven days for free. For expedited shipping of two to five days, prices vary based on size and weight, starting at $5.99. Priority shipping of one to four days similarly varies starting at $11.99. Note: Expedited shipping is not currently available in Puerto Rico. 

Prime comes with release-date delivery on eligible preorder items within the continental U.S. Some mail carriers will make deliveries to residential addresses as late as 7 p.m. Signature isn't required for most release-date delivery items. 

It's worth mentioning that Amazon Business comes with its own Prime shipping deals. You get free two-day shipping on orders of $49 or more. You also get improved order tracking and Amazon's tax exemption program.

Is Amazon Prime a good deal?

There are more than 100 million Prime subscribers worldwide, so many shoppers do find value in Amazon Prime subscriptions, but it's not always the cheapest way to shop. The value of free shipping on selected items from Amazon is impacted largely by local prices and availability, bulk prices for business shoppers, and order scheduling. For example, if you own a restaurant and typically order from Restaurant Depot a few times a year, you should do a price comparison; it may be that you're already getting the best deal possible. On the other hand, if you live in a remote area where there is little in-store shopping available or delivery costs are frequently very high, Prime may be worth it.

If you're on the fence, you can always try a free subscription, but if you decide to cancel your subscription after the 30-day free trial, you'll need to proactively cancel before your time is up to avoid getting charged. To cancel your Amazon Prime trial, simply go to your account, select Manage Prime Membership and click Do Not Continue or End Membership.

Additional Prime Member Products

Prime members have access to additional Amazon credit, financing, and rewards programs that can help them save money on purchases and get cash back on shopping, not just on Prime Day, but all year long. These are the best benefits offered to Prime members currently; if you're certain you'll be shopping a lot on Prime Day, you may want to sign up now.  

Amazon Store Card

Prime members are eligible for an Amazon Prime Store Card with no annual fee. You earn 5% back on every Amazon.com purchase, as long as you're not using promotional financing. Store Card holders can choose promotional financing on orders of more than $149, to be paid back over the course of six months. For orders of more than $599, you get 12 months. Interest starts accruing on the purchase date if you have not paid your balance within the given time frame. The APR was 28.24% as of press time.

Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card

Eligible Prime members can earn 5% back on all Amazon and Whole Foods Market purchases, in addition to 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores, and 1% on everything else. It has no annual credit card fee and no foreign transaction fees. As soon as you are approved, you get a $70 Amazon gift card. The APR starts at 16.49% as of press time, but it can go as high as 24.49% depending on your credit history.  

Amazon Prime Reload

Through a rewards program called Amazon Prime Reload, members can earn 2% cash back on select items when they first load funds into their Amazon Balance using a debit card attached to their bank's checking account. Your Gift Card balance never expires, and there are no fees associated with this perk. You'll have to provide Amazon with your driver's license number and bank account information, though, and the process of adding funds takes about five minutes but can be delayed by as much as four hours. 

Shared memberships

For two adults living in the same household, you can create an Amazon Household to share benefits. Plus, you can extend your personal account to your Amazon Business account to take advantage of some of its benefits on business purchases. First, log in to your personal account. Then, click Your Account > Your Prime Membership > Share Your Prime Benefits. Next, select Extend Prime shipping to your Amazon Business account. You'll need to enter those credentials and then click Extend your Prime shipping benefits. If you're already a Prime member anyway, this seems like a no-brainer.

If you don't yet have a Prime account, you can do this process in reverse. First, log in to your Business account. Then, go to amazon.com/prime to complete the sign-up process. 

Additional reporting by Anna Attkisson.

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