Millennials, this is how you can prove those negative stereotypes wrong

• 2-minute read •
To some, the word “Millennial” sounds like a dirty word. The “M” word, let’s call it. Unfortunately, being associated with this word comes with a few negative connotations—whether deserved or not. Often, those connotations extend to the way Millennials work.

And granted, the Millennial generation, roughly comprised of people between ages of 21 and 34, has stirred things up in the workplace Recently, Monster’s Multi-Generational Survey found that Millennials tend to not conform to the traditional notion that long hours behind a desk makes for a more productive employee. Managers view them as people who expect more than they deserve; society views them as the “me” generation.

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My job is exhausting. How can I land a laid-back job?

• 2-minute read •
First, I think it’s great that you’re interested in looking for a new job because countless people would say, “My job is exhausting,” and then be miserable and do nothing about it. So bravo to you!

Second, with the end goal of landing a laid-back job, we need to work backwards from this point.

Why is your job exhausting? Is it because the tasks are menial and boredom inducing, or, is your job exhausting because it’s labor intensive and you’re on your feet all day? Or are you mentally stretched and your brain is fried each and every day? Combination of the above?

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Even People Who Hate Writing Can Make Their Cover Letter Stand Out

• 2-minute read •
Remember that course you had to take in college? The one in which the professor outlined an “appropriate” way to write a cover letter? Yes, that class. That weekly lecture that taught you how to use perfect sentence structure, one-inch margins (all the way around) and an incredibly stilted tone because all of that was professional. Appropriate. Correct.

Remember that?

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How You Can Confidently Make a Career Shift 10 questions to ask yourself before making a change

So, you’ve been thinking about changing your line of work?

Don’t worry; you’re not alone. In fact, more and more people are following this previously unpopular career path. In fact, it’s becoming much more common for men and women, especially those in their 30s and 40s to do just that.

Tragic world events have also contributed to this new phenomenon—people are reconsidering work/life balance issues, their legacy, and how they want to be contributing to this world in the here and now. Doctors, interested in work/life balance and greater safety, are nurturing their artistic interests. Corporate employees, desiring greater independence, are swapping suits for bathrobes and starting up home-based businesses.

You can change your line of work AND be successful
If you do your research and plan well, you’ll be able to make a confident, well-informed decision about making a career change. Knowing the answers to the following 10 questions will provide you with the information, motivation and confidence to move forward and choose the right new line of work for you.

1. What are your skills and competencies?
Make a list of your general (e.g. management, organization) and technical skills (e.g. specific software skills, other industry-specific skills). Don’t stop until you’ve exhausted your list. Refer to online career development sites for help.

2. Which of your skills are transferable?
Note where you are strong, average, and/or weak. Also note your preferred skill set—which responsibilities do you enjoy.

3. What key competencies are required to be successful in your new field of interest?
Talk to others in the line of work you wish to pursue—ask them to list the key competencies that enable them to be successful. Match these against your list.

4. How many of these key competencies do you currently have?
Are they your strongest skills? Where are the gaps?

5. If there are skills you don’t have, ask how you might build them.

6. Would school or a certificate program support you in making the transition?
If so, can you/do you want to pursue this option?

7. What would making the change entail?
Would there be a temporary setback in pay? If so, can you live with the temporary adjustments?

8. What are the costs/benefits of staying right where you are now?
Have you carefully considered and weighed the positives/negatives of your current situation? Determine whether or not the negatives can be improved by a change in environment. Or, do the negatives revolve around the work and a conflict with your interests?

9. What are the cost/benefits of making a change?

10. Which is more appealing to you?
Once you’ve weighed the positives and negatives to both options, what have you found?

Once you know the answers to these questions, a clear choice should emerge, and you should be armed with key information to help you find work in your new field. Having a list of your strengths and transferable skills, and a clear understanding of how this new field better fits with your lifestyle, interests, etc. can also help you present yourself in a compelling way to a prospective employer or business partner.

Moving ahead
If the benefits clearly outweigh the costs, or, if you’re completely adamant about making the change, then carry a list of the benefits/reasons why you want to make the change in your back pocket. Anytime a “doubting Thomas” thought pops up, squash it by reading the list aloud.

Still sounds good? Then keep going—you will achieve your goal!

25 Words That Can Hurt Your C.V.'s Chance of Success

So, you're experienced? Before you advertise this in your C.V., be sure you can prove it.

Often, when job seekers try to sell themselves to potential employers, they load their C.V.s with vague claims that are transparent to recruiting managers, according to Scott Bennett, author of "The Elements of Resume Style" (published by AMACOM). By contrast, the most successful job seekers avoid these vague phrases on their C.V.s in favour of accomplishments.

Instead of making empty claims to demonstrate your work ethic, use brief, specific examples to demonstrate your skills. In other words, show, don't tell.

Bennett offers these examples:

Instead of... "Experience working in fast-paced environment"
Try... "Registered 120+ third-shift accident and emergency patients per night"

Instead of... "Excellent written communication skills"
Try... "Wrote jargon-free User Guide for 11,000 users"

Instead of... "Team player with cross-functional awareness"
Try... "Collaborated with clients, the Accounts Receivable Department and Sales to increase speed of receivables and prevent interruption of service to clients."

Instead of... "Demonstrated success in analysing client needs"
Try... "Created and implemented comprehensive needs assessment mechanism to help forecast demand for services and staffing."

The worst offenders
It’s good to be hard-working and ambitious, right? The recruiting manager won't be convinced if you can't provide solid examples to back up your claims. Bennett suggests being extremely careful before using these nice-sounding but empty words in your C.V.

Aggressive

Ambitious

Competent

Creative

Detail-oriented

Determined

Efficient

Experienced

Flexible

Goal-oriented

Hard-working

Independent

Innovative

Knowledgeable

Logical

Motivated

Meticulous

People person

Professional

Reliable

Resourceful

Self-motivated

Successful

Team player

Well-organised

Passion Can Drive Your Career

Whether it last happened today or 20 years ago, most of us have been hit with that pit-of-the-stomach, Monday-morning moment of questioning: Why do I work here? Is this all there is?

What's missing for many American workers is passion, a positive emotional connection to our work -- often our most energy-consuming pursuit. The good news is that with introspection, planning, action and support, you can redirect your career to incorporate what truly excites and invigorates you.

Passion Drives the Most Successful Careers

In the context of work, passion is more than a best-seller buzzword, according to Sally Hogshead, author of Radical Careering. "The word ‘passion' has a cheesy connotation, but you have to see it as a nonnegotiable element of your career success," she says. "In fact, if you're going to be your most successful, you have to be passionate."

To put the drive back into your career, you first must get back in touch with what energizes you. "Look back over the course of your life -- even back to when you were 12 years old -- and seek patterns in what you like about what you've done," says Lawler Kang, author of Passion at Work. "Try to come up with a high-level passion, even a mission. Then ask, ‘Does this job meet my personal mission?' whatever that mission is."

Your passion may take many forms: working with people, grappling with an organizational puzzle, telling stories or building that better mousetrap. It's wise to come up with more than one endeavor that energizes you, because some passions don't lend themselves easily to a career.

Put Passion into Your Work

Don't make the mistake of assuming that any work activity that touches on your passion will automatically gratify you. "Even if you're interested in golf, it's unlikely you'll stay interested in working in a golf store and selling equipment," says Julie Jansen, author of I Don't Know What I Want, But I Know It's Not This.

Suppose you've got the talent and decide you want to be a golf pro. For a successful candidacy, you need to lay out a plan that will help you put all the pieces together. "You've got to get some substantial stuff on your resume -- fill in the blanks, repackage yourself, get training," says Jansen. A reality check with professionals in your target occupation is key.

Inject Passion into Your Job Opportunistically

Of course, many of us don't have the time and money to undertake a total career change. Big changes typically come with big expenses. But some professionals develop creative ways to infuse their careers with a passion that has been a long-term avocation.

"A client of mine, an account executive at a global ad agency, is passionate about health," says William Arruda, a consultant with Reach Communications Consulting. "So she came up with several ways to inject her passion into the daily grind." The account executive worked with the on-site cafeteria to design healthful menus, led after-work yoga and kickboxing courses and gained a healthcare company as a client.

That's one way to serve up a career with a side of passion.