Heres Why Your Boss Should Become a Social CEO

Heres Why Your Boss Should Become a Social CEO Would you say you have a social CEO? If not, heres how to convince them to get involved. Something transformational happened on the way to 2015: CEOs became “socialised!” After tracking the rates of CEO online and social media presence since 2010,  Weber Shandwick has learned that a new day has dawned â€" CEOs have found their social footing. The Social CEO 2015 research finds that eight in 10 CEOs (80%) are now engaged online and via social media, a rate which has more than doubled since 2010 (36%). The company website continues to drive CEO sociability, with 68% of CEOs engaging through their company pages. This finding reflects the trend of companies becoming self-publishers of news and information. The research also finds that the visual influence of corporate video is fast-becoming a standard form of communication for top executives (54%) and social network usage has now hit a record high (28%). Top takeaways from this years Social CEO study: The company website continues its surge The company website is the top destination for CEO communications with nearly seven in 10 CEOs (68%) having a presence that includes more than just their name or standard biography page. The rapid rise in the use of company websites from 32% in 2010 and 50% in 2012 reflects the trend of companies becoming self-publishers of news and information. Corporate video is fast becoming a CEO standard CEO corporate video usage, either on the company website or company YouTube channel, is three times as high as it was in 2010. Over half of the CEOs in the audit (54%) now appear in company video, whether that is found on the company website (44%) or YouTube (38%). CEOs shouldn’t overlook the powers of visual influence in today’s multi-media world. 2014: A record year for social networks After two years of little growth, the proportion of CEOs in the audit with a social network account jumped to 28% from below 20% in past years. The rate of CEOs using LinkedIn nearly quadrupled since 2012, making LinkedIn the most popular social network for top executives in 2014. Twitter also contributed to the growth in social network use. It now appears that CEOs are more confident about how to use Twitter without causing alarm and reputational harm. U.S. CEOs are leading the way; Europeans are not far behind U.S. CEOs surpass their peers in Europe and APAC in terms of sociability. Nearly all of the U.S. CEOs in the 2014 audit were social (94%). However, European CEOs have made great leaps in sociability over the past few years and are catching up to U.S. CEOs. APAC CEOs are less social than those in the U.S. and Europe and did not experience any growth since 2012.Tips for CEO Social Engagement Weber Shandwick recommends that companies and their executives adopt the following strategies to optimise their online storytelling to help bolster their reputations and the reputations of their respective organisations. Our report details nine recommendations with five of them highlighted below. Socialise the executive bench. Sociability starts below CEO level. As we see from assessing the sociability of the most powerful women in business, sociability begins before taking the top job. Those executives who have the social know-how when they step up to CEO will have an advantage over the competition and may even have brighter career prospects. Choose platforms wisely. Find the right social vehicle for CEOs, especially those who are hesitant to be social. CEO sociability is inevitable, so they need to embrace it in some form. Listen closely. For those CEOs still hesitant to embrace social media, listening and watching should be the first step. Monitoring the online conversation is a way to gather data on stakeholders and gauge what is being said about their companies. Embrace a “media company mindset.” Take hold of the trend in narrating the company story and use the company website as a media platform to publish content. Feature the CEO regularly, even if it is footage from a speaking engagement or a snippet from a town hall meeting. Socialise the CEO’s biography. The CEO’s biography or profile on the company website is a central place to show off a CEO’s assets. If the CEO has social networks, link to these profiles from the CEO’s bio. Learn more about becoming a social CEO in our  interview with the Chief Reputation Strategist of Weber Shandwick, Dr. Leslie Gaines-Ross (also available in iTunes).

How to Answer Have you Ever Been Fired - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How to Answer “Have you Ever Been Fired” - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Being fired or “let go” from a job is not necessarily something you bring up in discussion with people or want to talk about, especially if your next employer is the one asking the question. However, you’re going to have to face the facts that during the interview process you’ll be asked about the gap or break in your employment history on your resume. Keep in mind, then, that your best bet isn’t to avoid the question or be surprised when it comes up. Go in being prepared. National workplace expert Lynn Taylor, who wrote Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant, says employers ask this question to sift through the mounds of applicants quickly and more efficiently. “Have you ever been fired?” becomes a filter prospective employers use to determine four things about you. Will They Take a Risk Hiring You? Most hiring managers will assume your answer to the question of whether you’ve been fired is no, but this may not be the case. And for the employer, it is important to understand the cause and reasoning behind any terminations on your employment record, if you have any. They’re hoping to determine whether or not there is a pattern in any terminations that suggests taking you on would be risky. They want to know if it will be a deal breaker for the possible hire. Are You Able to Handle Adversity? The interviewer wants to know how you perform under pressure. This question emits a knee-jerk response from you, where you either panic with your answer, or square your shoulders and move through it. It can help the employer determine how you respond to adverse situations in the workplace. Do You Fold Under Pressure? Again, how you perform under pressure in a real-time situation will say a lot to your interviewer about how you will actually perform on the job. Are you calm and collected, or panicked and defensive? You want to make sure you are prepared to be poised in this situation. Go in knowing this question will be asked. Are You Honest? Honesty is always the best policy. You need to go into your interview assuming your prospective employer will know about any previous terminations, especially if you are interviewing for upper management. Prepare a professional answer that explains why. For example, if you’ve been chronically late at your previous employment, have a ready solution for your interviewer that illustrates how you’ve improved, such as embracing a new productivity system to help. Still a little unsure how to approach the question? Now that you know why employers ask this question, let’s equip you with the best method to prepare for your next interview. Always, Always Be Honest As we mentioned above, honesty is always better, and with the connectivity of professional and social networks, you need to assume they will know details about you. Don’t be afraid of it. At some point in every person’s career there is some kind of termination, be it firing, restructuring, downsizing, outsourcing, etc. Being forthcoming about your employment history will say a lot about your character and integrity, which is what a majority of companies are looking for in employees, including billionaire Warren Buffett’s holdings. Keep It Straight and to the Point The question isn’t meant to make you re-live this unflattering part of your career, so don’t be offended or take the hiring manager’s question as an attack. If you’re prepared with your answer, you’ll be able to keep it short, sweet and to the point in a way that thoroughly explains the situation. For example, highlight what you have learned from the situation, not what actually happened. If you focus on the positive, you will also illustrate to your employer you are a resilient individual. Failure is actually more useful than success. Make sure you emphasize that point, and if you still aren’t convinced, just check out these 30 powerful quotes about failure that are sure to change your mind.   Take Responsibility, Stay Positive and Don’t Point Fingers One of the quickest ways to a phony integrity is shifting the blame of a past mistake onto someone else. Don’t speak negatively of your former employer, even if it is the truth. You want to show the hiring manager you are made of strong stuff and accept responsibility for your actions. In other words, be prepared to point out the differences in a positive light. For example, you could discuss that professionally your objectives did not match up with your previous employer, but you still learned a great deal in the process that was valuable to your career development. You’ll be able to answer the hiring manager â€" who generally will identify with the employer, not you â€" honestly without offending or leaving a negative impression. Don’t Sound Rehearsed Yes, the idea is to be prepared when going into your interview, but you don’t want to sound like a child’s toy with a talk button that spews off automated words when pressed. Take time to go over what you plan to say, but also make sure you grasp it well enough to talk about it organically and naturally. Consider enlisting help from friends or family to have a mock interview, where you can answer the question and evaluate from their perspective how it was received. In this way, you can adjust where necessary, and you’ll go into your interview prepared to wow.

The Best Job Sites for Career Seekers

The Best Job Sites for Career Seekers Almost everyone has gone on a job hunt has used some sort of online resource for searching. In fact, the Pew Research Center in 2015 revealed that 79 percent of Americans seeking employment used online resources as part of their job search in the past two years. With numbers like that, its important to recognize the biggest players and what makes the best, the best. Reviews.com, a website dedicated to conducting unbiased  and in-depth research about products, services, and industries, went through a six week study to actually find out what the job sites are really worth your time. You may be considering a fresh start with the New Year and wasting your time on unhelpful job sites is not the way to do it. Thats why the team at Reviews.com  spent their time reviewing the most popular sites for job seekers to find which  have fresh, frequent, and relevant postings, as well as effective algorithms that pull in listings from other places on the web. They analyzed web-traffic data, consulted with software engineers and career service experts, and hands-on  tested their top contenders for usability, frequency of new postings, and quality of results. Their finalist were Glassdoor as best overall and Indeed as the most comprehensive. Glassdoor is a site not only to find listings, but then find out if the company  is one you’d actually like to work for. Indeed is like the Google of the job world. Its a big contender in job postings but it lacks any personal feel. Its also important to note that they do think LinkedIn is an important player too. While it is middle of the pack for job postings, it is a great networking tool to get your foot in the door! Ultimately, Reviews.com created their comprehensive guide which you can see here,  http://www.reviews.com/job-sites/,  to help careers seekers determine which sites will bring in the results they are looking for, as well as offer tips on how to maximize their job hunting experience. In the end, using an ineffective job site can start to feel like a full-time job that never pays off.

5 Ways to Boost Your LinkedIn Ranking

5 Ways to Boost Your LinkedIn Ranking Whether  youre a job seeker, a recruiter, or just looking for new business prospects; you should never underestimate the power of your LinkedIn network. The further you expand your network, the more active you are and the quality of your profile are all factors that contribute to your ranking on the platform. The higher you rank; the  higher you will appear in search results  and in turn the  more exposure you will gain. So if youre seeking new opportunities or to create new professional contacts, then it is essential that you put the time in to building an effective LinkedIn presence. Not only will it improve your chances of finding opportunities through the network, but it also helps you to build credibility and a reputation as an expert in your field. You can see how you rank by  visiting the Who’s Viewed Your Profile’ page and clicking  on the ’How you rank for profile views’ tab at the top of the page.  You can then see how you rank amongst your connections, and also  how your connections rank. If you want to give your ranking a bit of a boost, here  are a few things you should do: 1) Complete your profile A completed profile will rank higher than one with gaps, so make sure you fill out each section properly. You will know that your profile is complete when the  Profile Completeness” bar on the right side of the page is 100 percent blue. Taking the time to put together a well thought out summary and thorough outline of your work history will also improve chances of people contacting you. 2) Build your connections The larger your network, the more profiles you will have access to. This doesnt mean you should connect with anyone and everyone, however, as people working in your industry and other potential business prospects will be a lot more useful to you. You can build a quality network by connecting with old business contacts, colleagues, University alumni, etc. Dont hesitate to add other  industry professionals who can be found in groups and search results, just remember to tailor your invitation to introduce yourself properly and let them know why you would like to connect. 3) Post updates Posting regular updates will ensure that your profile gets seen by other users and users who post status updates rank higher than those who dont. If you dont have time to do this manually you can use tools such as Buffer or Hootsuite to schedule updates to go out at certain times, meaning you can plan ahead. If people like or comment on your update it will then appear in their networks newsfeeds to try to share  interesting content that people will  engage with. 4) Start publishing Publishing on LinkedIn is a great way to build some credibility within your industry as providing your knowledge and insights can help to build a reputation as an expert in the field. Posting blog posts is also a good way to get your profile seen by people who may not have necessarily come across it otherwise, through Pulse or through people sharing your blog post. 5) Join groups By joining groups you or given access to connect with other members, so it make it much easier to build a network of industry professionals. Try to contribute and interact with peoples posts as much as possible, as the more active you are the better your profile will rank. Sharing your thoughts and expertise on relevant topics will also help you to get yourself known as a knowledgeable professional in the sector. [Image Credit: Shutterstock]

9 Qualities That Companies Look For In An App Developer CareerMetis.com

9 Qualities That Companies Look For In An App Developer It can be easily concluded that we live in a world full of mobile apps where people have started using an app for performing most of their tasks. According to a report by Smart Insights, users spend 90% of the total time on their smartphones browsing different apps.This trend has made it even more important for entrepreneurs to hire one of the best app building companies that can create an appto give their business an edge over the competition.evalThe process of hiring and managing an in-house development team is a challenging task for most businesses. Also, they can’t let go of the opportunity of bringing their app vision to life. What should be done in this case? Ideally, you should do your research and hire the best app developer.But there is trouble. It’s not that easy to find the best app developer from the market which is full of several alternatives. Want to simplify the task? Let’s explore the 9 qualities which you should look for to hire a development partner who is re liable and tech-savvy at the same time.1) Make Sure To Look For A User-Centric AttitudeevalBefore finalizing to hire an app developer, it’s important to make sure that they put users at their hearts. Ultimately, your sole purpose to create an app is to satisfy the end-user so the developer must capable of building user-friendly and functional mobile apps.Your app developer should be able to let you understand the market first and identify the specific requirements of your target users. Also, they should know the tact of incorporating your feedback in order to improvise the end product.2) Examine The Portfolio, Expertise, UI/UX SkillsNever forget to go through a few past projects accomplished by the app development partner you are going to choose. Evaluate the kind of app they’ve created in the past and review their customer testimonials. This will give you an idea of whether the team is proficient in building the type of app which you want.In addition to the portfolio, make sur e the company has a wealth of experience in their area of expertise. Their technical team must give you advice on choosing the best development framework and give relevant suggestions in accordance with their skills.To ensure that your app can win millions of hearts it’s mandatory to integrate a seamless interface and experience. This is why you should look for developers with great UI/UX skills in order to craft interactive apps with slick usability and intuitive interface.3) Pick The One Who Is Familiar With Cross-Platform App DevelopmentevalYour app development associate should be versatile so that to create intuitive apps capable to function seamlessly on multiple platforms. Also, they must be efficient in making mobile-responsive websites in order to enhance the horizons of your business in the near future.Not picking the one who has comprehensive experience in building cross-platform apps could be your biggest mistake while hiring developersas these apps give you a chance to cater to a diverse customer base. Also, there will be no need for you to hire an additional app agency in the coming years to create apps compliant with other platforms.4) Proficiency In Practicing Agile Methodologies Scrum Management PrinciplesAs per a report from InfoQ, most of the organizations are embracing agile methodology for developing software solutions. This is because agile is an iterative development approach that gives priority to incorporating feedback and adapting accordingly in order to get a better end product. Also, Scrum management has been proved to be the best tool for controlling these agile projects.The agile methodology heavily relies on productive cross-functional teams where the role of each and every member is clearly defined. Therefore, your development associate must have a team in which there is an expert for every individual department such as QA testing, security protocols, UI/UX designing, etc.evalIf you need to make sure that your app development project is in the right hands then choose a developer who has experience in following agile practices and Scrum management principles. This will give you an opportunity to work with a partner who is flexible and give respect to your feedback.5) Pay Attention To The Knowledge Of Modern Programming Languages Latest ToolsevalCheck the engineer’s resumeto see if they are proficient in front end development tools and modern programming languages such as Python, PHP, Java, HTML5, etc. If not, you can always point them to tutorials to learn Python. This knowledge will make them build much more aware of the app development landscape. Also, they will be able to build a variety of apps with different features and functions.6) Do Not Ignore Work Culture Effective ApproachIt’s important to ensure that your app development associate should have a healthy work culture and professional approach to understanding your specific business needs. Their development team should have curious and pass ionate professionals who love their job. Also, they must be confident enough to create reliable products.They should have the skill of working in harmony as a united team and deliver amazing solutions. Each member of the team should be accountable for his share of work so that all of them can build apps with much more commitment.7) Never Go For The Cheapest Services Without Doing Proper HomeworkEntrepreneurs want to manage their financial capital logically and hence they sometimes choose the app development partner who is offering the lowest quotes. It’s not a good idea because you might have to regret in the future. Make sure to do your homework and don’t keep price alone as the key priority when making a final call.8) Always Finalize The One With A Transparent Communication SystemIt’s favorable for you to find an app development company that promises to follow an effectual communication plan. This is essential for seamless communication and execution of your project. Also, i t’s one of the most integral assets for smooth agile development.They should be providing you with product feature demos, regular updates, and hence keep you always well-informed of the whereabouts of the project. You should definitely figure out how the development company is planning to reveal their progress before making the decision. They should respect your suggestions and make sure to incorporate them to make the end product better.9) Seek Complete App Development Lifecycle Coverage SupportIt will be of no use if you pick an app developer who isn’t going to provide you with complete lifecycle coverage. Ideally, look for companies who are willing to support right from the discovery phase to post-launch support and maintenance. This will help you in getting your product to the market quickly without compromising with its quality.The best app developers will help you see the bigger picture and give priority to your specific requirements. So, take your own time and discover t he right partner who can use technology to your benefit.

10 Things your boss wont tell you - article, Smart Money magazine

10 Things your boss wont tell you - article, Smart Money magazine 10 Things your boss wont tell you article, Smart Money magazine 10 Things your boss wont tell you article, Smart Money magazine January 14, 2011 by Career Coach Sherri Thomas 1 Comment I love this article from Smart Money magazine called 10 things your boss wont tell you (and its not just because Im quoted in it! ;)) The article helps you manage your career smarter by giving you a peek inside your managers mind with great insight on why your manager does what she does, and tips and strategies to help you manage your manager, and your career! Enjoy! ?? Click to read: 10 things your boss wont tell you.

Boulder Companys Resume Writing Process

Boulder Company's Resume Writing ProcessIn order to secure a job at the Boulder Company, it is best to write a resume that has been tailor-made for them. It should be able to display their company's reputation, as well as highlight the employee's abilities.Resume writing at Boulder Company focuses on six major areas: industry, education, skills, personal characteristics, opportunities and past employment. The company has three general resume styles, which are designed to match the professional profile, employer requirements and personal preferences.The basic knowledge section of the resume addresses the industry where the job applicant worked. The resume shows the employer what kind of work an employee did. It includes the company, the project and the position held. If an applicant has any previous work experience in this industry, it will be listed on the resume.Basic information about education is included in the education section of the resume. It includes the name of the college and its location and degree level. It also includes the name of the school, or the course's number, and includes the semester, year and course number.The skills section is also included in the resume. It includes the employee's full name, job title and the actual skill that he or she possessed. Skills include office tasks, typing, printing, writing, computer tasks, golf, horseracing, math, science, painting, teaching, general hobbies, self-control, craftsmanship, cycling, dancing, truck driving, testing and performance, mechanic, welding, algebra, mechanics, computer programming, Microsoft office software, woodworking, automotive repair, tree service, sewing, library assistant, accounting, math, hardware, mathematics, science, physical sciences, organizational skills, baking, gas and oil, ice cream, coffee making, cooking, culinary arts, photography, video, theater, piano, drawing, driving, engineering, home repair, office skills, psychology, testing, public speaking, art, general c rafts, sewing, carpet cleaning, hand sewing, handwriting, candle making, photography, sewing, computer programming, painting, scrapbooking, welding, sewing machine, game design, creative arts, furniture making, and paper making. These are the basic skills that an employee can be expected to have.The basic personal characteristics section is important for the resume. It includes the employee's full name, the position held, the date and time he or she was hired, and if the employee resigned from the position or not. The personal characteristics section also includes other relevant details such as the employee's marital status, race, ethnicity, age, sex, height, weight, color of eyes, hair color, skin, height, weight, eye color, hair style, weight, height, eye brows, hair brows, ear size, lip size, nose, heart condition, mouth, job or career, hobbies, dancing, sports, online games, music, sports, water sports, golf, cooking, housework, dance, formal clothes, formal wear, formal hairsty le, formal make up, formal belt, formal shoes, formal socks, formal underwear, formal hat, formal slacks, and formal shoes.The career path section of the resume is designed to highlight the employees' interest in his or her field of work. This section highlights the kind of skills that are required to work in that particular field. The career path section also includes the position held by the employee, the name of the industry, organizational training, award, awards received, position title, level of education and experience. Career path includes education and college degree earned, volunteer work done, volunteer work year of service, volunteer activity level, reading, writing, manual labor, reference books, participation in community activities, community service, community service project, time spent working in different areas of the company, job description, definition of work environment, types of leadership positions held, type of job responsibility, and similar matters.Resume writing at Boulder Co. and other companies like it aim to make sure that the candidates who apply to their company get a chance to do a great job for them. They find it important to cover all bases when it comes to professionalism and quality, whether applicants need technical skills or not.