3 Time Management Tools to Organise Your Job Hunt

3 Time Management Tools to Organise Your Job Hunt Being on-time, fast  and persistent is vital  to an effective job hunt. Staying organised may be the way you stand out and  beat the  competition for your dream job. Do you have a set routine planned with your days dedicated to your job search? To make job hunting easier, we strongly recommend using time management tools to keep you focused and completing  important tasks in the correct order. It  will also be reassuring to be aware  that  youre  making  significant progress.  Be sure to  refer back to this checklist everyday! Wed love to hear how you keep  focused with your job search. Do you use any tools to stay  organised? Here are three vital time management applications  we recommend to optimise your job hunt: 1. Fantastical Fantastical is a quick and easy way of managing your calendar and reminders. With one click, you can open up Fantastical and see your schedule for the week or month. Fantastical also allows you to set reminders that you can attach to specific dates or leave as a simple checklist. Alarms can also be set to remind you of specific events. Also, Fantastical is brilliant  on iOS platforms, which automatically syncs with the Mac desktop application. Whilst Fantastical isnt free, its perhaps the best calendar app available on Apple devices  due to its versatility and stylish interface. Staying  organised with an effective calendar application is essential to productivity and remaining  focused. What calendar app do you use on your smartphone or computer? Let us know in the comments. 2. Trello Trello is a fantastic task management web tool, especially with users collectively working on a specific task.  Trello is simple to use with a lot of flexibility. Tasks you create in Trello are displayed in small cards, and then sorted in columns that you can customise. These columns display the progression of each task, from ideas to done. Everything is automatically synced to the cloud, so all users and devices are continually up-to-date on the latest project developments. You can write ideas, concepts or tasks to  be completed  onto  Trello cards. Cards also allow comments, photos, videos and PDFs to be attached, and you can include particular  users to work on specific tasks. A useful notification sidebar  indicates the latest actions made by all users. Keeping track of a collaborative projects progress is easier than ever with Trello. Checklists can also be added to cards  to ensure each smaller task is completed thats part of a bigger piece of work.  Boards can be customised to cater to anyones requirements, and you can even change the background image! Theres also a Trello app for smartphones, allowing you to manage your Trello whilst your away from the computer.  Have you tried Trello? Let us know in the comments! 3. Todoist Todoist places a strong emphasis on design. Simplicity is the main draw  of this task management application.  Its easy to keep everything in order with Todoists minimalist approach  and flexibility. Todoist claims to offer more features than any other to-do list meaning more customisation, organise tasks and optimise productivity. You can  add tasks by email and access tasks on iCalendar. Todoist also features sub-tasks, labels and the ability to colour coordinate content. You can also chat real-time to others when collaborating on projects. While Todoist is free to use, it also offers a  premium subscription thats  $28 ( £18) a year that gives you more abilities, such as notifications (either by  time or location), automatic backups, and the ability to add notes or file attachments.  There are a few lacking features, such as Apple Handoff support between iOS devices and Macs, but this feature  may  appear at some stage. With time management applications and tools, I advise trying  each tool to discover which one you prefer and stick with it for at least a month. Each user has different requirements from a task-management tool, so explore whats available  and find out which one suits your needs. For example, my requirements are based on it having multi platform support, ease of use and stylish simplicity. All three of these apps are perfect for my requirements. Staying organised with a job hunt is easier when using any one of these three apps. Do you use any of the applications mentioned? How do you stay on top of your tasks? Let us know in the comments! Image: Shutterstock

3 Time Management Tools to Organise Your Job Hunt

3 Time Management Tools to Organise Your Job Hunt Being on-time, fast  and persistent is vital  to an effective job hunt. Staying organised may be the way you stand out and  beat the  competition for your dream job. Do you have a set routine planned with your days dedicated to your job search? To make job hunting easier, we strongly recommend using time management tools to keep you focused and completing  important tasks in the correct order. It  will also be reassuring to be aware  that  youre  making  significant progress.  Be sure to  refer back to this checklist everyday! Wed love to hear how you keep  focused with your job search. Do you use any tools to stay  organised? Here are three vital time management applications  we recommend to optimise your job hunt: 1. Fantastical Fantastical is a quick and easy way of managing your calendar and reminders. With one click, you can open up Fantastical and see your schedule for the week or month. Fantastical also allows you to set reminders that you can attach to specific dates or leave as a simple checklist. Alarms can also be set to remind you of specific events. Also, Fantastical is brilliant  on iOS platforms, which automatically syncs with the Mac desktop application. Whilst Fantastical isnt free, its perhaps the best calendar app available on Apple devices  due to its versatility and stylish interface. Staying  organised with an effective calendar application is essential to productivity and remaining  focused. What calendar app do you use on your smartphone or computer? Let us know in the comments. 2. Trello Trello is a fantastic task management web tool, especially with users collectively working on a specific task.  Trello is simple to use with a lot of flexibility. Tasks you create in Trello are displayed in small cards, and then sorted in columns that you can customise. These columns display the progression of each task, from ideas to done. Everything is automatically synced to the cloud, so all users and devices are continually up-to-date on the latest project developments. You can write ideas, concepts or tasks to  be completed  onto  Trello cards. Cards also allow comments, photos, videos and PDFs to be attached, and you can include particular  users to work on specific tasks. A useful notification sidebar  indicates the latest actions made by all users. Keeping track of a collaborative projects progress is easier than ever with Trello. Checklists can also be added to cards  to ensure each smaller task is completed thats part of a bigger piece of work.  Boards can be customised to cater to anyones requirements, and you can even change the background image! Theres also a Trello app for smartphones, allowing you to manage your Trello whilst your away from the computer.  Have you tried Trello? Let us know in the comments! 3. Todoist Todoist places a strong emphasis on design. Simplicity is the main draw  of this task management application.  Its easy to keep everything in order with Todoists minimalist approach  and flexibility. Todoist claims to offer more features than any other to-do list meaning more customisation, organise tasks and optimise productivity. You can  add tasks by email and access tasks on iCalendar. Todoist also features sub-tasks, labels and the ability to colour coordinate content. You can also chat real-time to others when collaborating on projects. While Todoist is free to use, it also offers a  premium subscription thats  $28 ( £18) a year that gives you more abilities, such as notifications (either by  time or location), automatic backups, and the ability to add notes or file attachments.  There are a few lacking features, such as Apple Handoff support between iOS devices and Macs, but this feature  may  appear at some stage. With time management applications and tools, I advise trying  each tool to discover which one you prefer and stick with it for at least a month. Each user has different requirements from a task-management tool, so explore whats available  and find out which one suits your needs. For example, my requirements are based on it having multi platform support, ease of use and stylish simplicity. All three of these apps are perfect for my requirements. Staying organised with a job hunt is easier when using any one of these three apps. Do you use any of the applications mentioned? How do you stay on top of your tasks? Let us know in the comments! Image: Shutterstock

A Surfers Guide to Staying Safe in the Water

A Surfers Guide to Staying Safe in the Water Staying safe in the water is imperative whenever you go surfing. The unpredictable nature of the ocean makes it incredibly dangerous. Youll need to know how to deal with any situation that may arise. But its not just the water you need to worry about! There are plenty of other things you need to be aware of. Here is a quick rundown of precautions you must take, things to look out for, and how to stay safe in the water. Learn How to Swim It may sound silly to say this, given that youre in the water, but its something that needs to be pointed out. A surfer needs to have fantastic swimming ability. You may get caught up in a precarious position with a wave or rip tide. Its imperative to your safety that you know how to swim your way out of these situations. Build Your Conditioning Surfing takes a lot out of you. Its an incredibly exhausting sport, so your fitness levels need to be the best they can be. As well as surfing, you should take on other endurance building exercises in your free time. Running is a popular way to improve your cardiovascular ability, but swimming regularly could help you prepare for life in the water. The Right Equipment Dont skimp on your gear! All of that stuff is designed to keep you safe, so do not cut corners under any circumstances. You should know which is the right wetsuit to wear in different weather conditions. You should look at men and womens rashguards to prevent abrasions. You should load up on sunscreen to avoid getting burned by the rays. First Aid As any surfer will tell you, its a sport that is incredibly prone to causing bumps, bruises, and cuts. Treating these immediately is very important. Especially when it comes to open wounds, youll need to have first aid skills to treat it properly. Youll have to act quickly to prevent infection. You might also consider headwear as a means to avoid harmful concussions. Dont Overdo It Surfers, by their very nature, are adrenaline junkies. And when youre pumped full of adrenaline, its hard to gauge a rational judgment. Try to keep your feet on the ground (or the board, as it were). Dont attempt to ride waves that are beyond your capabilities, or you could have an accident. Learn how to identify and avoid a rip current. Be Aware of the Weather The weather can bring your plans to a screeching halt. This can be disappointing if youve been planning a day of surfing. But dont attempt to surf in extreme conditions! This can cause accidents that are beyond your control. Its better to be safe than sorry. Stay away from the water if you dont think its appropriate. You should always check the weather forecast before heading to the beach, so you know what to expect throughout the day. Being aware of the above will make sure that you eliminate risk and are free to enjoy yourself. Happy surfing! Image Source; Image Source; Image Source; Image Source

Mastering the LinkedIn Connection - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Mastering the LinkedIn Connection - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Weve all done it. That lazy LinkedIn connection request. We collectively need to stop. Take 2 and Personalize It Before sending that next LinkedIn Connection request take 2 minutes and make it personal. Here is a video that shows you how in less than 2 minutes. Let the person know how you met, where you may have connected and how you may be able to help each other. Together we can stamp out the dreaded and completely impersonal: Id like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn. How did this happen? In LinkedIns zeal to grow as fast as possible they made it really easy to send a connection request. While this is not a career ender it does have some implications on the way you are perceived. You want to stand out in your career. Everyone does. Use this simple technique to help people know who you are, how you met and perhaps what you can do with them by Personalizing Your LinkedIn Connection Requests. It didnt always used to be like this. When LinkedIn first started the process for sending a connection request was more involved. You had to check an option for your relationship, and you were encouraged to put in a note of how you knew them. Well, as with all things LinkedIn changed to make it easier so that they   could grow faster. Great for LinkedIn. Not as great for the end user. At least for the recipient of the impersonal LinkedIn Connection request. Why Personalize a LinkedIn Request? It’s simple. You want to help the person remember who you are, how you met and what you may be able to do together. Personalizing a LinkedIn Request (video) is simple: Login to LinkedIn Go to top right corner â€" Hover over “Grow My Network” and look down the list to click on “People You May Know” Hint: this is the icon to the left of your profile picture. Click on the persons name you want to send a LinkedIn Connection request The Two Most Important Steps: Select how to you know this person. There are several options here. Create a personalized note (it takes 2 minutes or less) Click “Send Invitation” Repeat for all LinkedIn Connections requests you’d like to send Why Personalize? While it should fairly obvious … everyone likes to receive a note with some context. Think of the last time you received spam email (or LinkedIn Connection Requests) that had someone else’s name listed. Did you apprecite the sender? Not likely. When you personalize a LinkedIn Connection request is does three things: It shows you care It shares how you met It provides a contextual point to help them quickly decide to accept your request When you personalize a request you will Stand Out in Your Career. LinkedIn Profile Hygiene This month I am creating a series of posts on LinkedIn Hygiene. I will add them to each successive post. Last week was a post about “Mastering the LinkedIn Unvite” and the next few will be about utilizing some of the other lesser known and used tools built into the LinkedIn platform. The idea is to help those new to their career and those that are farther along to get the most out of LinkedIn. It’s a powerful tool and platform. LinkedIn continues to change over time and some of the features that were quite commonly used in the past are still there. Learning about them and learning how to make the most impact for your career by using them correctly is my goal with this series of posts. Where do we go from here? Of course, I’m always open for a LinkedIn Connection request. If we haven’t met yet please take a moment and send me a Personalized LinkedIn Connection request. You can use the friend option in the “People You May Know” section. You can say something as simple as “I’m a reader of  the Personal Branding Blog.” Of course, I’m always happy for comments in the posts and people forwarding and sharing things they like. Just click on the Share options on the top left of this post. Heads Up: As part of my due diligence I will read your note and I will review your profile. What are your  LinkedIn Tips Tricks? What LinkedIn topics would you like to see more and learn more about? Add your thoughts here and we’ll see what we can do … together.

3 Ways To Make Your Office Reflect Your Personality

3 Ways To Make Your Office Reflect Your Personality With the amount of time you spend at the office, it only makes sense that you’d want to decorate your space.  If nothing else, your office decor can help you maintain your sanity during the hours you’re spending away from home. But unlike how you decorate within your home, there are more things to consider, especially if you share your office with other people. So to help you make your office reflect your personality while maintaining your professionalism, here are three things you can do to spruce up the look and feel of your office space. Pick A Decorative Theme If you’re a novice decorator, it can be hard to take individual pieces and arrange them in such a way that they reflect your personality in a way you love. So if you find yourself struggling in this area, YourOffice.com, recommends picking a decorative theme and using that theme to help you make your decorating decisions. Some of the themes you may consider could include nature, urban, floral, family and many more. Decide on the overall feeling you want your space to portray.  Then, it will be much easier for you to pick elements to include in your decor. The objective is to have the elements both flow with one another and showcase your personality. Bring In Some Greenery There are lots of benefits to having a    green plant, shrub or small tree  in your office space.  It  gives insight into your personality based on what type  you choose.   It will also bring surprising benefits to your body and mind while at work. According to Jill Provost, a contributor to DailyWorth.com, living things in the workplace can help to increase your productivity and creativity as well as assist in being a stress reliever.  Also, even if your employer doesn’t want to give you a lot of freedom when it comes to the decoration of your workspace, it’s unlikely that they’ll have a problem with you bringing in a plant or flower. So this is one of the simplest changes you could make to bring out more of your personality in your office. The Perfect Color When given the freedom to decorate your office how you want, one of the main things you should focus on is bringing in color. So many office spaces are left looking bland and sterile with only whites, black and greys. That leaves your brain desperate for a few splashes of color!  According to Claire Parker, a contributor to Staples.com, color psychology should be a major consideration when you’re looking for the perfect color for your office. For example, reds are stimulating while greens are relaxing. Use  the colors you choose to  reflect the type of work you’re doing. Both your being comfortable within your space and your ability to accomplish your work effectively will be affected by your color choice, so choose wisely. Office Decor Makes a Difference! With so many of us spending the majority of their day stuck in a small office, it’s vital to your sanity and productivity to make your office as unique as you are. Use the tips mentioned above to help you find ways to bring your personality into your office today.  Especially with the coming summer months, youll be glad you did.  For a few more tips on avoiding summer blahs because youre stuck in the office, be sure to check out this article  in Ms Career Girl on making summer bearable. Main Image Credit

Writing Objective Profile For Resume

Writing Objective Profile For ResumeWriting objective profile for resume will not only be a necessity if you are applying for a job in an IT or related field, but is also an important step in the job application process. The reason why this component is so important is because it is a way to show the potential employer that you are able to perform your duties on a day-to-day basis. By doing this, you demonstrate that you are responsible and trustworthy in what you do and also are a hard worker.When you are reading through the resume of an applicant, you will notice that the resume is written from a subjective perspective. This means that the applicant does not want to make an objective assessment of their skills and abilities and instead decides to offer a personal opinion of themselves. When you read through the resume, you will notice that the candidate has made many personal observations about themselves and has written about these experiences. This is fine, but it should not be u sed as a basis for judging them as a person.By using objective profile, it will be obvious that the candidate is seeking an opportunity in the organization that they are applying for. Rather than trying to cover all areas of their skills and abilities, they only want to include the specific skills that they believe they need to fill an opening. In order to highlight your personal strengths, it is important that you use an objective perspective for your resume.A resume that is written from an objective profile will include achievements and skills that demonstrate your ability to meet the needs of the organization. A great example is a person who works as a clerk and as an accountant. By using this type of resume, it will indicate that this person has the experience needed to meet the responsibilities required of someone working as an accountant. This person will also have some leadership experience as well.When you write an objective profile for resume, you should not write about how smart you are or what you know. Instead, use examples of accomplishments that demonstrate how smart you are or how much you know about the organization you are applying for. In many cases, an applicant will find that the role of supervisor or superior is not related to their skill set.It is important that you select an objective form for resume that is compatible with the company you are applying for. Some companies are not interested in reviewing resumes that are filled with subjective information, which may not be true. For these applicants, objective profile for resume may not be appropriate.Before you write a resume, make sure that it includes the information that you want to include. Once you are finished, review it for completeness and make sure that it contains all of the information that you wanted to include. The majority of employers will not reject a resume that was filled with the appropriate details.In order to make sure that you do not overlook anything, you should sp end some time reviewing your resume and writing objective profile for resume. Remember that it is an important document, and you should not overlook any of the critical information to show your abilities and experiences.

Are You Putting The Web To Good Use

Are You Putting The Web To Good Use The web was a wondrous invention. Indeed, we’ve never been more connected as a species, and we can get messages to the other side of the world and have them answered within seconds. Because of this, almost everyone is online and accessible practically 24/7, and you and your business are no different. The internet is something that can be put to very good use: you can network, you can find market research, you can receive instant feedback from customers etc. But is that all you can do with a simple wifi connection? Sure, you have an online business, and you’re going to be spending most of your days on the internet running this, but are you using your time online as productively as you could be? Maybe you are, maybe you’re not, and maybe you’re half between and just looking for something extra to do: if so, here’s some of the tips you’ve been looking for to follow. It’s easy to get distracted in a world full of short attention spans… especially with the internet at your disposal! Use it to Monitor the Market So you did your market research before opening up your business; after all, businesses don’t need to exist if there isn’t a gap for them to fill. But is that as far as you need to go with the research for your product or service? Even every word you write and then post on your website homepage needs to have a purpose in fulfilling that gap you found way back when, and your words, products, and services need to evolve alongside this gap. It’s hard to keep up with, but the internet is full of resources to help you. Seeing as the market is something you need to constantly have an eye on, many people are encountering the same problems you are, and then aiming to fill up that gap themselves. Supply and demand is a two way street after all. So if you’re not able to see your target market rise and fall in real time, let your computer or your network do that for you. With algorithmic trading at your fingertips, you’re never going to be left in the dark when it comes to shifts in stock and inflation companies can’t manage. You’re never going to wake up to a loss in profits that takes you completely by surprise again! Post More Information about You The internet makes information readily available, and that means you should always have something out there for people to look into to make sure you’re a business worth their time and money. Yes you have your website for people to use, but it’s rare that they’re just going to stumble across you and take an interest. Be active across social media boards, have review pages set up, and always keep an eye on collective customer sites, like the list that’s provided here. Watch the trends for where people take their complaints, watch out for common issues, and always make an effort to answer those who reference you. It’s a good way to network amongst people who are vocal about their dissatisfaction (despite them being a small fraction of your customer base, they’re usually the loudest), and can even tip brand loyalty in your favor. Break Your Own Habits If you’re finding yourself taking multiple breaks and losing a lot of time to items like your phone, identify these habits and try to stop them in their tracks. You’re probably already feeling guilty about not dedicating as much time as you should be to your online business, and now’s the time for you to do something about that feeling. Yes you’re still using the web during moments like these, but you’re probably not doing so productively. Of course you shouldn’t cut out breaks entirely, but you can take less if you put more effort into actually breaking away from your work environment and spend quality time recuperating. So put your phone away, on silent, and in another room. If people need to contact you on important issues, networking contacts and potential investment opportunities usually send an email. Make an effort to check your phone messages periodically, but leave it there. The web is great for you and your business, seeing as it has an ever present availability and about 90% of the world’s population to reach out to, but it usually can be put to better use. Don’t worry, there’s a lot of people who are in your position!

How People Use Facebook in Their Job Searches [INFOGRAPHIC] - CareerEnlightenment.com