11 Tools Thatll Shave Hours off Your Branding Efforts - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

11 Tools Thatll Shave Hours off Your Branding Efforts - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career What’s one great tool you use to assist in streamlining your branding efforts (e.g. social media scheduling platforms, reputation management tools, etc.)? The following answers are provided by members of  Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the worlds most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched  BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 1. Canva   Canva  is great for graphic design. Our PR engineers know how to create strategic content and the imagery that supports it. At the same time, they arent acutely trained graphic designers, so tools like Canva make it easy for them to create interesting imagery that looks polished, professional and shareable.    Sharam Fouladgar-Mercer,  AirPR 2. Mention.com   We use  Mention.com  to keep track of how well our branding efforts are going. It keeps track of keywords we specify mentioned across the web and on social media. It even assigns a relevance score which we prioritize over other mentions. Before we used to only use Google alerts but found that mention.com goes deeper in understanding whats important to our business.    Robert De Los Santos,  Sky High Party Rentals 3. IFTTT and Slack   I made a recipe in  IFTTT  to automatically post a notification in  Slack  anytime I am mentioned on Twitter. This allows me to respond in real time to any mentions and engage with my followers.    Nicole Munoz,  Start Ranking Now 4. Hootsuite   Hootsuite  is a great app that allows us to schedule our social media postings. We are able to  schedule any posting we chose that fit our brand image to whichever platform we want for an entire day or even longer. It’s a great way to monitor what social media users are saying about our brand and monitoring keywords that relate to our industry or brand.    Stanley Meytin,  True Film Production 5. Sóshlr   Sóshlr  is a social media management tool that helps you consolidate and handle all your social media across multiple platforms for your business. It handles publishing and analysis that gives you more time to do other things. Plus, it delivers insightful data for better decision making related to your branding efforts.    Drew Hendricks,  Buttercup 6. Missinglettr   Missinglettr  connects to your blogs RSS and creates campaigns with multiple social media posts out of every blog post.  Instead of manually writing social media posts, the tool will automatically pull data and images and allow you to instantly schedule posts on social.  This reduces the amount of time required to create social media posts and increases traffic to the blog â€" and its free for now!    Marcela De Vivo,  Gryffin 7. Kapost   Kapost  is ideal for streamlining B2B marketing content workflows, which are designed to build the brand. It provides a way to streamline the creation, delivery and analysis of the content that is produced, saving considerable time. This allows for more content to be produced and distributed.    Murray Newlands,  Due.com 8. Right Relevance   Right Relevance  provides a powerful web interface for exploring and tracking topics of interest. Its great for content curation, tracking relevant trends, and content inspiration. With Right Relevance, I can quickly see whats being published in my area of interest but also the conversations happening around those topics, and the influencers who are engaged with them.    Vik Patel,  Future Hosting 9. Hubspot   We use  Hubspot  to manage the posting and tracking of all our blog content, social media and site traffic. It is great at helping us understand what content is engaging and viewed most often, which helps us decide which topics and ideas to approach next.    John Hall,  Influence Co. 10. TubeBuddy   YouTube continues to show its dominance in the content marketing space but can quickly become overwhelming â€" especially if you have existing videos.  TubeBuddy  allowed us to easily bulk edit videos, bulk edit thumbnails, and systematize the upload process. Hugely valuable.    Carter Thomas,  Bluecloud Solutions 11. Sprout Social   When it comes to social media marketing, reporting is just as important as scheduling. That’s why  Sprout Social  is our go-to social media software. Not only does the interface make scheduling posts a breeze, but data like reach and engagement are presented in dynamic  charts so that ongoing optimization is that much easier.    Brian Lischer,  Ignyte

Company-Wide Competitive Edge - The Importance of IT Certification

Company-Wide Competitive Edge - The Importance of IT Certification In IT, certification isn’t everything, but it’s a lot. You probably already implicitly understand this. Your boss wants you to be continually advancing in your knowledge of networking, databases, and even simple help desk and tech support processes. But, you can’t do this without certification classes and testing. Here’s how to pitch it to your boss. TGAF 9 and Its Importance TOGAF training online is available through reputable companies like Simpilearn, but many managers and CEOs aren’t biting. Why not? Because they don’t understand the full implications of the certification. So, explain it to them. TOGAF is the Open Group Architecture Framework, and it’s a series of design principles that were created by a non-profit (not for profit) organization called “The Open Group.” The methodology has become an industry standard for enterprise architecture because of how it simplifies the architectural design process. In all, there are over 30 different design methodologies recognized by The Open Group’s TOGAF program, and IT professionals receiving the certification can choose any one of those methodologies or submit one that is not on the list. The TOGAF is concerned with pretty much every single aspect of how a company designs its infrastructure and architecture. From database design and implementation to networking to the apps that run on those networks, you will be learning how to build better frameworks that are more secure, run faster, and protect users as well as the company. One of the things you learn in TOGAF training is how to optimize business performance through achieving efficiency in the architecture. This is obviously a good thing because it reduces costs for materials and resources like hardware and software specifically software development. You’ll also better understand the business structure by preparing a blueprint of how the business should be run. A clear identification of how different departments interact with each other will also help you better understand the company you work for. TOGAF also prepares you for the future of your company by being proactive with changes instead of merely reacting to network failures and architectural limitations after-the-fact. You can identify weaknesses in your product or service, the sales process, the software implementation, and even higher-level marketing and management processes. Finally, the training isn’t a once-off class. It’s ongoing, so you’re always up-to-date with what’s happening in architecture design. Ask Employers To Help Pay For Training One of the biggest roadblocks employees face when it comes to training is getting their employer on-board with it. Employers want measurable ROIs, and training doesn’t always have that. It’s more of a gradual return. Your job is to convince your employer that there is an ROI, that it matters, and that it costs more to do nothing. How do you do that? Find inefficiencies in your current architecture. Look for methods and processes in the company that could be improved. You may not be able to say what the specific improvement should be, or what the ROI will be, but you can demonstrate that a process is inefficient and that TOGAF will help make it more efficient. If you are having a difficulty communicating with your boss, books like  [amazon template=productasin=1598698818] can really help. The most important thing  you need to make him understand  and communicate is that even without hard numbers, the fact that an improvement can be made is significant. Plus, many inefficiencies can be “estimated” in regards to an ROI of fixing it. The more inefficiencies you find, the higher the probability your boss will be swayed to your line of thinking. It’s Your Salary Ultimately, you are in a tug of war with your boss over your paycheck. But, it’s a friendly struggle. On average, TOGAF training can improve your paycheck by about 5 percent, with most companies affirming that certifications directly lead to raises and bonuses for employees. The degree of training, as well as the experience of the employee, also count. So, a single raise is usually not the end of your promotion. So, for example, you may be immediately promoted for getting your TOGAF certification, but you may also get a raise 6 or 12 months down the road for the continuing education and further improvements to the company’s efficiency. Companies tend to operate on the idea that improved efficiencies translate into improved bottom-line results. If it’s a public company, the company and shareholders are rewarded with a higher share price. If it’s a private company, those shares can be distributed in the form of a company bonus. In a sense, the strongest argument for your boss to pay for your training is that you’ll end up giving him a bigger bonus through increased company profits. Eshna Verma is a Real Career Girl writing  at Simplilearn. She has done Masters in Journalism and Mass Communication and is a Gold Medalist in the same. A voracious reader, she has penned several articles in leading national newspapers like TOI, HT and The Telegraph. She loves traveling and photography.

#27 Career Expert Series Marc Miller from Career Pivot

#27 â€" Career Expert Series â€" Marc Miller from Career Pivot The Career Insider Podcast Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS For This Episode of The CareerMetis Podcast â€" we will be hearing from Marc Miller from Career Pivot.evalMarc Miller, an Austin based Career Design Specialist and a baby boomer, has changed careers six times for many of the same life changing others have experienced.Marc has worked for large companies including IBM and Lucent as a programmer, engineer, help desk support, trainer, marketer and IT consultant. He has been involved with two successful high tech startups, Agere Inc. and LifeSize Communications developing training programs. He has delivered training in 40 different countries.An active member of the Launch Pad Job Club, Marc found himself counseling friends and associates on their career journeys and finally realized he’d found his vocation. He would use his extensive training experience to help othersâ€"especially Baby Boomersâ€"find careers that they could grow into for the decades that lie ahead.Marc Miller is passionate about his work and the clients he serves. He’s taught in more than 35 countries and helped clients from many industriesThis interview is part of the “Career Expert Series“.Episode Summaryeval1. The biggest change that has impacted Job search in today’s economy is social media. It has completely changed the way you find jobs today. Marc Miller spends a good amount of time of the evolution of the job search process in the last 20 years.2. How to optimize your LinkedIn profile, if such a way that you get found.eval3. The best and fastest way to get hired is to develop relationships at companies that need you. Employee referrals are very effective in improving your odds of getting a job at a particular employer.4. How to position yourself if you want to change industries? Marc shares his proven ideas on how you can find a job in adjacent industries.5. What is the first thing you do if you are laid-off or fired?LinksTo lear n more about Marc’s work visit his website. He can also be reached on LinkedIn or Twitter.Intro Music provided courtesy of Accelerated Ideas Ending Music provided courtesy of Accelerated Ideas (www.accelerated-ideas.com). Soundtrack â€" No Need to Rush

Business Card Design Tips Thatll Keep It Out of the Trash and Inside the Wallet Business Card Design Tips Thatll Keep It Out of the Trash and Inside the Wallet

Business Card Design Tips Thatll Keep It Out of the Trash and Inside the Wallet Business Card Design Tips Thatll Keep It Out of the Trash and Inside the Wallet Did you know 88% of business cards get thrown in the trash within a week? Take a look at these business card design tips thatll keep it out of the bin. Did you know that 10 billion business cards are printed yearly? And out of those millions of cards printed, 8 billion will be thrown in the trash within a week! Yes, people live in the moment. If they dont need the service right now, theyll throw your business card away without a second thought. But, if you get the design right, these pocket-sized billboards can elevate your business above your competitors. What can you do? How can you make this lasting impression? Read on to find out the essential business card design tips that youve probably been getting wrong all these years. Business Card Design Tips With Microsoft Word, some clip art images, and a home printer, you can design business cards and a lot of cool stuff. However, a professional business card needs more than the basics. Bright Beginnings Before you begin planning your business card, there are two crucial design components you need to finalize first: Color scheme Completed logo These two components are vital when it comes to your branding. From your website layout to your formal office stationary, the colors and designs will influence literally everything you design from now on. So choose wisely. Once youve got your branding finalized, you will have a color scheme and theme to work from for your business cards design. A Way with Words Although each business has different needs, there is some very specific information that should be printed onto your business card: A catchy slogan Business name Logo Your name Contact info (email address, telephone number, website or mailing address depending on the business) Links to social media pages (only relevant ones, as no one wants to see your selfies) A catchy slogan is a great way to grab attention. Think about some of the most memorable catchphrases in advertising and get some inspiration. The name of your business should feature quite prominently in the business cards design, even if the logo is there. This is because your branding may not be recognized yet. Only massive cooperations can get away with just using their logo (for instance, Nike or McDonalds). If the business card is for clients to contact YOU directly, make sure to have your name on the card. And dont forget any contact information. Your business will determine what form of contact you should decide on. Adding at least one social media profile is vital. Your social media accounts are indispensable tools for advertising purposes, so make sure your potential customers know about them. They are more likely to add you on Instagram than they are to email you directly. However, dont overload your business cards design. Simplicity is key, so keep it snappy. You can always use a double-sided card or folded business card if you really need more space. Triple Check Whether your business card has many words or not, always double, no, TRIPLE check your work! Correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation are crucial to looking professional. If you make just a teeny tiny mistake, itll stick out like a sore thumb. You also need to check that your contact details are 100% correct. Theres nothing worse than receiving your printed cards and realizing there is a typo in the contact phone number. Cue the forehead slap. Size Matters The size of the card will mostly depend on the basic standard of the country youre working from. Even if you plan to do something out of the box, youve first got to see what everyone else is doing first. So do some research. For instance: European: 3.346 x 2.165 inches North American: 3.5 x 2 inches Oceania: 3.54 x 2.165 inches When choosing your sizing, you should take into consideration the bleed area, which will be removed; the trim line, which is the target line for cutting; and the safety line, which is there for safety measures. Keeping your text and imagery at least 3-5mm from the trim edge is a good standard to keep. Mix It Up Instead of the traditional horizontal business card layout, try something different. For instance, go portrait instead. Or double the width of the card to make it feel thicker. Another idea is instead of having square corners, to round them off. Or you could cut shapes in the center using a die-cutter. You could even use scented inks. Just a few simple adjustments can make your business card stand out from the rest and modernize your companies look instantly. Things to Avoid Avoid using a straight border around the edges of the card. If there is even a slight misalignment in the trim, the edges of the border will show up and make your perfectly designed card look unprofessional. Choose your typeface wisely. Theres nothing worse than a professional business card design being ruined by tacky fonts. Comic Sans, Curlz, and Papyrus should not even be considered. Another essential thing to avoid is a lack of imagination! Yes, boring old business cards that are designed without an ounce of vision are just asking to be thrown in the trash. Keep reading for some AMAZING business card tips and ideas thatll blow your socks off. Business Cards Design Ideas How to design a business card that wont be chucked away? The key is to get creative, make them laugh, get them intrigued, and make it functional! Check out these clever ideas to make your card stand out from the crowd. Special Finishes A quick way to instantly add a touch of class to your card is by using special finishes. They may be more pricey, but they can create a visually impressive design that wont be forgotten easily. For instance, emboss your card or use Letterpressing to make areas and words pop out. Or use foil stamping to accent text or your logo in shiny reflective materials. Spot UV coating is another sleek idea for your business cards design. The UV coating can be applied to specific areas, such as the text or logo. This looks really trendy when the card is in a matte material and the main text is glossy. Unique to Your Purpose Use what youre selling to inspire your business card. For instance, if youre a dance or fitness instructor, use the skill to define your card. Have a photo of a person, cut out two leg holes, stick your fingers through, and instantly the card becomes a comical dancing puppet. Another example is if youre a gardening company, put your business details on a packet of seeds for growing. Or if youre a Divorce Lawyer, design a business card that tears in half with your contact details on both sides. For photography, try a transparent business card which doubles as a viewfinder. When your clients are looking for spots for their wedding photo session, they can use their viewfinder to visualize the final result. Make It Useful There are two different kinds of people in this world: the hoarders and the throwers. Some hold onto every piece of paper they receive, whereas others ruthlessly recycle anything they can. To avoid your card becoming the next recyclable material, make it functional. For instance, one cheese company designed a two-fold business card. It not only has all the info needed, but it also doubles as a cheese grater. Now thats a grate idea! Another cool concept is having a business card that converts into a holder for hair clips or can be folded into a miniature armchair for your smartphone. A Variety of Materials Most business cards are printed on regular cardstock, as its the most cost-effective option. However, there are all kinds of different materials that you can print on, including transparent plastics, rubber, wood, slate, or even metal. Metal designs give a really neat modern vibe and they can also come with a dual purpose. For instance, some metal business cards are also bottle openers nobody in their right mind will throw that in the trash anytime soon. Forget the Card Maybe instead of an actual business card, you could use something completely different. For example, a lego person with your all the needed details printed on the figurine. You could have them dressed in your companies uniform, or even make them look like you. Whatever whimsical design you choose, keep in mind that although you want your business card to stand out from the crowd, it still needs to be portable. If its not easy to file away in a briefcase or pocket, itll be thrown away anyway. There are several more essential reasons why your business cards should be portable and kept with you at all times. Read more now about a few of those reasons. Business Card Tips and More As you can see, designing a business card takes more than Microsoft Word, a generic clip art image, and a home printer. To be successful, you really need to put time, effort and a lot of IMAGINATION into it! Of course, these business card design tips wont work if youre business is stuck in a rut. If you need a helping hand to get your business back on track or to start something new and exciting, youve come to the right place. To find out the secret strategies behind a successful business, click here!

Resume Writing Tutorials

Resume Writing TutorialsYou may think that it's impossible to gain the necessary information about resume writing tutorials on the internet. Well, I'm here to tell you that the truth is that most of the websites offering these help topics are actually quite helpful and informative.The first thing you will probably notice about resume writing tutorials is that the information contained in them is quite easy to follow. They don't require a lot of explanation and when you finally figure out what they are actually talking about, you'll be ready to begin filling out your resume. Most tutorials also cover how to create an effective cover letter as well as how to properly craft a cover letter from scratch.There are actually several steps involved in creating a resume and these tutorials take a detailed look at each of these steps. This includes discussing the best format for a resume and how to write a summary section of the resume, which is usually one page. The information on resume writi ng tutorials are quite extensive and cover the most important aspects of the job seeker's search for a new position.Many people will spend time trying to figure out the best way to go about finding a new job and can also spend hours on end filling out their resumes. Thankfully, there are many resources online that will show you step by step how to go about this process. Resume writing tutorials focus on how to create the perfect resume, which is something all job seekers should be able to accomplish.If you are an educator and need to send your resume out to recruiters, resume writing tutorials are extremely helpful for this situation. The objective of resume writing tutorials is to provide the teacher with information that he or she can use to create a more professional looking resume. These tutorials also provide useful tips on how to make the resume stand out among the other thousands of resumes that are submitted daily.There are several ways to get feedback from the resume writer s which are great if you are a job seeker. Job seekers will be able to give their feedback regarding the resume so the writer can then work on changing the resume to ensure that it is the best possible resume that will get the job. A resume that gets through the process is the one that will receive the best feedback and the best job offer.Although resume writing tutorials may seem like easy exercises in grammar and syntax, they actually do take time to complete. You can't expect to see results overnight because this takes time and patience. It would be a lot easier if you could just go out and get some free resume writing tutorials but there isn't any such thing and all you can hope for is the chance to practice some of the finer points of resume writing.So if you want to be the best resume writer, you may want to spend some time practicing and getting feedback from resume writing tutorials. These can be found online and it is up to you whether or not you believe the freebies they a re offering are worth the money they are charging.

What Does a Resume Work Experience Order Cover?

What Does a Resume Work Experience Order Cover?If you have ever suffered through the tedious, time-consuming process of applying for job positions with very little or no work experience, you'll understand how much a resume work experience order can improve your chances of landing a position. Having work experience, or even just a degree is not enough anymore. Your past has to be somewhat representative of the kind of worker you are now.Not all jobs and companies hold the same standards when it comes to hiring, and every job, no matter how simple, has a different set of requirements. For instance, does your job require any certifications? Does it include a certain level of proficiency in computer skills?While it's likely that you could easily meet the requirements for many positions that require a level of certifications, some positions will look for a little more than that. The size of your company is also going to have an impact on the kind of qualifications you need to have for a j ob.For instance, if you have a flexible schedule and can easily adapt to job responsibilities that change with the changing of the seasons, you could possibly do better on a temp position. However, if you do have a boss who requires constant and consistent work at the exact same rate of salary, you're going to be competing against a lot of other candidates who don't. On the other hand, if you have a steady job, you could perhaps benefit from the advantages that can come from an increasing the size of your resume work experience order.Looking at the perspective of each type of employer, from larger corporations to smaller mom and pop shops, the fact is that they often look for several qualities in a candidate when it comes to their resume work experience order. These might include proof of specific computer or mechanical skills, which in turn requires you to have a high school diploma or equivalent, or a college degree that shows solid financial accomplishment or a real life, or job experience that can show that you can handle your duties in the office.Finding out about these particular details is one of the most important steps in getting a resume work experience order filled. This way, the employer can see how much these factors are going to affect your ability to work effectively in the company, and how you are going to need to tailor your application to fit in this particular role. By knowing this, you will know what kind of qualifications they are going to be looking for in a resume work experience order.Whether you already have a job or you are looking for a job, you need to have a resume work experience order. It might sound like a waste of time, but it is a very valuable tool for improving your chances of landing a position with this type of employer. Without one, you could very well be discouraged by the possible rejection that awaits you because of something you did not intend to show or didn't even know existed.

Top Best Resume Templates Secrets

Top Best Resume Templates Secrets The Fundamentals of Best Resume Templates That You Can Benefit From Starting Today There are lots of websites which gives a Resume builder facility. The best resume templates 2016 should have the ability to create the info that the recruiter is searching for to stand out. Considering all the resources available through software and the online today, it may look silly that I'd counsel you against using a resume template to make an executive resume. It's best not to just use the very first template you find online. A Startling Fact about Best Resume Templates Uncovered Our website can help you with selecting the perfect standard resume template 2018. It's possible for you to check best resume templates if you aren't sure. There are rather many templates online but not all of these are good enough. There are several different templates that it is possible to use to produce the resume. Best Resume Templates Secrets That No One Else Knows About You don't need to list whatever you've ever done. Finding the best options is likely to be important to your success in searching for work. If you are searching for resume templates for 2016 job applications then you're going to need to make sure that you select ones which are going to secure you quickly noticed. As you select your preferred template and sign up or utilize it freely, you might get your hands on the picture-perfect resume in merely a matter of a couple of minutes. Getting your Resume made by a professional Resume Writing Service is the ideal investment you'll be able to make while looking for a Dubai Job. Importance of Resume in Job Search When you are searching for work, you'll have to compose an application and send it to the firm. A Resume is the one which decides whether you get an interview call or not. From as little as $125 Absolute Resume can let you create a resume that will greatly enhance your odds of getting hired. As you proceed through the t emplates that could be found on the internet, you'll get a good deal of resume tips that can help you think of an ideal template for your CV. It is essential that you proceed through all the templates that may be found online so you settle on the one which you feel can help you get the job which you're applying for. It's possible to refer the open office resume template in case you don't understand how to earn your CV distinctive and remarkable. Using Microsoft resume templates may provide you with some rather professional looking documents. You are going to be pleased to know that there is going to be examples of resumes that you may look at to receive a concept of the greatest template to use. Developing a great infographic resume from scratch can be hard and time-consuming. You have to keep seeking the best one until you find one, and you need to get a template that brings an extra focus on your strengths. An excellent template is one which is equipped to stick out from t he rest.