Monday, April 20, 2020

Should You Put Writing Samples on Resume?

Should You Put Writing Samples on Resume?If you are looking for a way to get noticed for a job, do not put your writing samples in your resume. That is one of the biggest mistakes people make. They end up putting something in their resume that will get them a low grade and not get a call back.What you should do instead is to include an impressive list of all the writing samples you have done. Include paragraphs that describe your writing style and the topics you covered in your writing. This will give the reader an idea of what kind of writing you can do and that you can be trusted.When you are talking about the experience you have with your resume, you need to do the same thing. You need to state how you have used the different skills and abilities you have to solve a problem. List the skills that you have used and those you are going to use.There is nothing wrong with including a paragraph stating how well you wrote a particular resume or why it is relevant to your field. You shoul d definitely put this on your resume if it fits your skill set.As you are writing your resume, do not use the word 'researcher' as much as you do in a title. This will not attract the reader and may cause them to skip over the rest of your resume. The information in your resume should be focused on what you have done and the skills you possess.You also need to be very organized when writing your resume. Your resume should contain only one page of information. If you have more than one page in your resume, do not use the keywords, such as 'writer', because these keywords are already taken by many other writers who will easily find out what you have to say.You should always keep in mind the reason why you want to put your writing samples on your resume. If you put in any facts about yourself, make sure that you take the reader to the specific information you need. If you did this properly, you will see that this strategy will get you noticed.

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

9 Passive-Aggressive Things People Say in Emails and the Best Way to Respond to Each

9 Passive-Aggressive Things People Say in Emails â€" and the Best Way to Respond to Each If that snippy coworker is being passive-aggressive in an email (again!), resist the urge to send an equally snarly response. “The goal of the passive-aggressive person is to get someone else to visibly act out the anger that they have been concealing,” social worker Signe Whitson, author of “The Angry Smile,” told Business Insider. “Any time their covertly hostile email is responded to with overt hostility, the passive aggressive person succeeds.” Don’t fight fire with fire. If you do, you’re just falling into the passive-aggressive person’s trap. Instead, Dr. Neil J. Lavender, author of “Toxic Coworkers: How to Deal with Dysfunctional People on the Job,” said you should focus on what you need to do to complete the task at hand, rather than “majoring in the minors.” “If the email is requesting you to turn in a report, then turn it in. If you need to return a phone call, then return the phone call,” Lavender told Business Insider. “Don’t get ‘mired in the minutia.'” Adobe found the nine most-hated passive-aggressive email phrases in a recent survey. Below, take a look at some key phrases you can use to diffuse the situation when one of those emails lands in your inbox. ‘Not sure if you saw my last email’ With 25% of workers saying this is the most annoying email phrase, “Not sure if you saw my last email” was by far the most disliked phrase in Adobe’s survey. Lavender suggested beginning your note with, simply, “Thank you, I did receive your last email and…” ‘Per my last email’ Whitson recommended leading your response with an equally brief, “Thanks for the reminder.” ‘Per our conversation’ This might be a sign that your worker is trying to create a paper trail from your in-person talks. “A simple, ‘Thanks for the recap’ will go a long way in keeping a friendly workplace and rising above someone else’s covert anger,” Whitson said. ‘Any update on this?’ A tenth of workers told Adobe that “Any updates?” is the most annoying phrase used in emails. But it might not have any negative intentions. “(I)n the business world, where most of us are juggling 1,000 balls every day just trying to get through, I really wouldn’t take the time to try to analyze the ‘real hidden meaning’ behind the tone of every email statement,” Lavender told Business Insider. Just be honest, Lavender said, and tell them what the updates are. If there are no updates, Whitson suggested writing back, “I don’t have any updates at this time but I will email you as soon as I do.” ‘Sorry for the double email’ Whitson said you should acknowledge their persistence, instead of getting angry at them for filling up your inbox. “I have received both of your emails and will respond as soon as I have an answer for you,” she recommended writing. Lavender suggested a different route that acknowledges their apology (even thought it likely wasn’t made in earnest): “Thank you, I did notice that. I accept your apology, no problem.” ‘Please advise’ This phrase has several different meanings, according to Grammarly. It could mean “Let me know,” “I need your advice,” or “I’m waiting for your response, and have been waiting.” Not only is it vague, but it’s often perceived as overly formal. Still, you can’t do anything if your coworker keeps sending this phrase to you. If they’re asking for your advice, Lavender suggested responding, “Will do. I’m currently working on the solution and should have it for you by (insert date or time).” If you can’t advise, explain why. ‘As previously stated’ Similarly to “Per my last email,” try simply responding to this type of email with, “Thanks for the reminder.” “Don’t jeopardize your own professionalism by replying with the first sarcastic thought that pops into your mind, such as, ‘Oh, did you state that previously? I must have missed it because you talk so much that I usually just tune you out,'” Whitson said. ‘As discussed’ “Don’t mirror the hostility by replying, ‘Not sure if you realize how busy I am,'” Whitson said. Instead, go with, “Thanks for the recap of our last conversation.” ‘Re-attaching for convenience’ Whitson recommended this respectful response: “I appreciate that you re-sent the document.” If there’s an ongoing pattern of passive aggression, sit down with your coworker Everyone has their off days and may accidentally dash off a snarky email to their coworker. But if the passive-aggressive remarks keep coming, you may want to sit them down to understand what’s happening on their end. Lavender suggested sitting down with your coworker and directly asking: “Are you angry at me? Is there something you would like me to do differently?” Most likely, Whitson said, the coworker will deny that they’re upset. But they’ll probably change their behavior now that they’ve been confronted. “Your respectful acknowledgement marks a change in the dynamic,” Whitson said. “The passive-aggressive person now knows that you are a straight shooter who will not shy away from trying to resolve a conflict.” This article originally appeared in BusinessInsider.com.

Friday, April 10, 2020

5 Goals To Reach Before Opening Your Own Business - Work It Daily

5 Goals To Reach Before Opening Your Own Business - Work It Daily In a world where three quarters of all business start-ups fail, you might find yourself doubting your ability to achieve your entrepreneurial dreams. The more you understand about owning your own business, the more likely you are to succeed. Here are five important objectives to reach before you can open your doors. 1. Understand Your Customers All businesses fill a need. The better you understand this need, the better you'll be able to satisfy your customers. Don't rely on street smarts alone when plotting your strategy; perform research, gather statistics, and crunch numbers. The more specifics you have, the better you'll fare in the long run. If you don't know how to conduct market research, consider these ideas: Interview consumers. Find out what customers in your niche like/don't like and how much they're willing to spend for various products. Solicit information online. Invite consumers to take online surveys or questionnaires. Reach out. Don't just research the consumers around you; reach beyond your inner circle and gather information from other populations, too. Perform deep research. The Internet is a goldmine, but some of the best information nuggets are found in a library. Don't limit yourself to web research; make the trek to your local library or business center as well. 2. Get The Funds Most start-up entrepreneurs don't finance their business out of their own pockets. Thankfully, there are financial institutions and private investors who want to help aspiring entrepreneurs. To win the interest of a potential investor, you must prove you are trustworthy and that your business will deliver a decent ROI. Start-up investors want to know your profit potential. They want to see that you've performed smart research, that you've identified a profitable niche, and that you can handle the rigor of running your own business. Outline your work history, playing up your strengths and past successes. Provide concrete budget information. Identify a lucrative gap in the market and illustrate it so clearly the investors can see the profit potential. 3. Choose Who To Work With One of the hardest choices a future business owner has to make is whether to fly solo or form a partnership. In the UK, most businesses fall into one of three legal categories, and each category has its own set of legal requirements. Sole Trader: A business owned by one person. Limited Company: A business owned by a group of people or organisations. Business Partnership: A business in which two or more partners share a stake in the success. The next hardest decision is choosing the right partner. Friends and business rarely mix, and the same applies to business and family. Choose a partner who you will hold up their end of the bargain, and keep you accountable for holding up yours. 4. Conceptualize Your Business Plan You'd be foolish to jump headlong into a new business without spelling out some of the particulars first. Granted, you don't know everything there is to know about your business yet, but you have ideas and ideals that must be conceptualized and written down. Related: 5 Tips For Starting A New Business On A Shoestring Budget Here are five general questions to ask yourself when creating a business plan: What purpose will my business serve, and how will it go about fulfilling its purpose? How can I make my business stand apart from similar businesses? What are its unique features? Who are the key players in my business? What population am I serving, and about how large is my potential customer base? How will I acquire capital, invest capital, and generate revenue? What will it take to break even and/or make a profit? If you're stuck for ideas, it often helps to look at a sample business plan when you're trying answer the tough questions. 5. Decide How To Advertise Customers won't find you if they've never heard of you. Depending on your market and customer base, you'll need to select one or more forms of advertisement. Here are some of the more popular choices: Billboards Business Cards Direct Mail Email Marketing Leaflets/Flyers Press Releases Social Media/Online Advertising TV and Radio Why do you need to know how to advertise before hand? You can start creating promotions before you launch, so your grand opening draws in curious potential customers and media. You advertise early to invite people to celebrate this milestone and become long-term customers. Starting your own business can be a daunting process. It takes grit, it takes spunk, and it takes perseverance. It also takes some know-how. If you take the time to do your homework before swinging those business doors open to the public, you'll thank yourself later. Related Posts 5 Things You Need Before You Start Your Own Business How To Reduce Costs When Starting A Business Have An Idea? Why You Should Start A Business NOW   Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!