These 5 resume mistakes are keeping you from getting hired

• 2-minute read •
Writing a resume is time-consuming and, let’s face it, a bit of a chore, even for those who can string a few good words together on occasion. It’s never easy talking about yourself, or recounting all your life’s work (literally) in a page or two. So, once you’re done writing, and before you email your CV to a hiring manager, take a minute to proofread it closely — very closely — for a few common resume mistakes. It could just mean you save your application from hitting the trash, instead of the “to interview” pile.

Read More

Getting a Raise: The Prep Work

The idea of asking for a raise intimidates many people, especially those who have never done it. But you can turn the process from mysterious to manageable by doing some important planning before saying a word to your boss. The following five steps will help you prepare the best case for a salary increase before you meet with your manager.

1. Get a good reason.

If you are going to ask your boss for a raise, make sure you have a good reason. "Needing the money" doesn't count. Your company doesn't care if you are drowning in student loans, can't make your rent, or have to finance a wedding this year. Like everything else in the business world, the money you get paid is all about the value you add to the company.

2. Assess your contributions.

Prepare a list of contributions that have had a positive impact on the bottom line. As you're putting together your case, be hard on yourself. Look at the situation from your company's point of view. Have you honestly acquired such valuable skills, performed at such a high level, and exceeded expectations to such a degree that your company should shell out more assets to keep you?

3. Look at the big picture.

Check out compensation surveys like the National Compensation Survey by the U.S. Department of Labor (www.bls.gov/ncs) or web sites like Salary.com to determine how your salary stacks up to what other local employees in your position are making. Don't forget to take into account other financial incentives you may receive from your company, including bonuses, stock options, insurance packages, 401(k) contributions and tuition reimbursement.

4. Take the economic temperature.

You have to evaluate your request in the context of the current economic conditions, your company's financial status, and internal policies regarding raises. In today's business climate, many companies are foregoing merit increases or are only issuing them at a certain time of year. Some organizations also have fixed salary ranges, or grades, that prevent managers from increasing compensation beyond the amount pre-determined by your level or title. Still others place the authority to decide matters of compensation in the hands of a few individuals -- and your boss may not be one of them. Find out about such things ahead of time.

5. Consider the timing.

When is a good time to ask for a raise? Coming off a strong performance review in which your boss acknowledged your accomplishments is a good bet, because he will probably be expecting you to broach the subject of money. If you have just taken on a new role or your management has raised the bar for your performance, it is perfectly legitimate to ask for an appointment to discuss "compensation commensurate with new responsibilities."

Once your preparation is done, you'll have more confidence for approaching your boss and sealing the deal.

Getting a Raise: The Negotiation

Once you've done some careful planning about the raise you want and why, you're ready to focus on the actual meeting with your boss.

Start by scheduling a meeting time when your boss' stress level and workload are manageable. An informal setting like lunch often works because it allows you and your manager to relate on a more personal level. Make sure to articulate in advance, however, what the meeting is about, so your boss can prepare. Also bring notes or materials that support your accomplishments, in case your boss wants to discuss them during the meeting.

The next five steps will help you with the actual discussion of your raise.

1. Set a goal and practice.

Before you meet face to face, decide on a number that you'd be satisfied with and prepare how you'll respond if you don't get it. You also may want to practice your tone on a family member or friend prior to the meeting, because there is a fine line separating the assertive/sincere and boastful/arrogant approaches.

2. Stay positive.

Now, on to the actual discussion. If you're underpaid and you know it, don't complain. Instead, remain calm, positive and professional. Tell your boss about what you enjoy working at the company. Talk about your performance in a factual manner and provide concrete examples of how you add value to the organization. When it comes time to pop the question, use the word "compensation" rather than "raise" or "money." In the event that your boss declines your raise, don't close your ears to the rest of the discussion. She may be willing to offer you other perks instead, like extra vacation time, flexible hours, or a nice dinner with your significant other on the company.

3. Negotiate.

Despite your best efforts, you may not get the compensation you've earned. Sometimes the only way to get a serious pay increase is to switch to a new position. Or, you could ask your boss what you need to do to receive an increase, and if it's possible to revisit the issue in a few months. Do not give an ultimatum, unless you are prepared to walk out the door. Even if you have another job offer in hand that pays more, you cannot assume that your manager will make a counteroffer.

4. Escalate the matter.

Your boss may tell you that she would like to give you a raise, but her hands are tied. If this is the case, ask her if the two of you can schedule a meeting with the higher-up responsible for the decision. Do not go over her head without her knowledge, and make sure she is kept on the loop on all matters concerning your compensation.

5. Follow up.

Discussing a raise may be difficult for your boss, too. He may tell you what you want to hear simply to get you out of his office. Make sure that you follow up appropriately on any verbal promises he makes, and if possible, secure an effective date for your increase. You can also summarize your agreements via email after the meeting. Remember the issue is not closed until you see the change on your paycheck.

5 Tips for Getting Your Way Without Authority

In today's team-based work world, success depends not only on the quality of your work but on your ability to get others to work with you. This is not always easy, especially when you need to enlist the cooperation of your boss, a peer, or even a potential customer.

"Everybody has to influence beyond their formal authority," said Steve Levin, an executive coach who teaches a course for leaders called "Powerful Conversations."

Experts offer five tips for persuading even when you don't have authority:

1. Know what's in it for you.

What is the larger purpose for asking your colleague to call a potential customer for you, or your boss to offer his support for your project?

Make sure you can answer, "For the sake of what?" about each request, Levin said. Is the goal to keep a key customer happy? To save the company money?

2. Know why you're asking.

You don't need to spell out an exact exchange each time you ask someone for help. But you do need to understand what the other person's goals are, and frame your request in a way that shows how that person will benefit.

If you ask a colleague to call one of your accounts, your colleague could say, "It's your customer -- why do I care?" And you need an answer, such as, "Retaining this customer will enhance our reputation in the marketplace, and that affects all of us," Levin said.

3. Tailor your request to your audience.

Some people are best persuaded with a lot of data; others respond better if you tie what you want to a big-picture goal.

"Communicate with the person the way they want to be communicated with," said Glenn Parker, a team-building consultant in Princeton, N.J. and author of "Team Players and Teamwork: New Strategies for Developing Successful Collaboration."

4. Ask for a commitment.

Often, meetings with colleagues have "a lot of discussion and not a lot of clarity" about who is to do what, Parker said. If you're asking for help from people who don't work for you, you need to be especially careful that everyone understands who has committed to what.

Casually asking, "Can you pay extra attention to this client?" may get your colleague to say yes, but she may not be committed to doing anything differently, Levin said. A more precise request, such as, "Will you call this client before the end of the day?" is more likely to elicit a "meaningful yes."

And don't worry that a specific request will make it easy for the person to say no. "We actually want them to say no, if no is their answer," Levin said.

5. Be fearless.

Many people "give up before they try" to influence beyond their authority, Levin said. But don't assume that others won't listen. Instead, remember why you're asking: You want to help the company keep a customer, or implement an innovative cost-saving measure.

If you're asking for selfish reasons, you probably won't be successful anyway. But if you're asking "on behalf of something larger" than yourself, Levin said, "that's exactly what every leader wants people to do. That's called taking initiative."

Beat the Post-Vacation Blues Before They Begin Strategies for Getting Back to Work After Going Away

Summer vacations -- or vacations taken at any time of year -- are good for business. Workers get to recharge their batteries with rest and relaxation, and their employers usually reap the benefits. But no matter how much you love your job and how much you unwind on your vacation, you still may feel anxious about your initial return to work.

Why? Blame it on a backlog. According to a new survey from The Creative Group, one third of respondents claimed to dread getting back to the daily grind because of "the work awaiting their return." However, half of those surveyed admitted that vacations made them feel happy and refreshed. So how can you keep your post-vacation afterglow upon re-entry to the professional world? Use the tips below to reduce the work that will accumulate in your absence and enjoy the lasting effects of your time away.

Help Someone Else Step Up

Do you know someone who's waiting for an opportunity to spread her wings? Maybe a junior team member or an assistant has been chomping at the bit for a chance to move up. Megan Slabinski, executive director of The Creative Group, reveals, "High-potential employees who are being considered for management roles may welcome the chance to prove themselves while their supervisors are away."

To help your new protege be most effective, she advises professionals to "ensure their second-in-command understands the resources available and has a good framework for making decisions." Take time to bring your charge up to speed so she will succeed in your stead.

Spread the Word

You can put out fires and lessen your load while you're out of town with the push of a button (or two). Says Slabinski, "Leave outgoing messages on your email and voicemail to let others know you are away and whom to contact in your absence." Not only will this immediately direct people to connect with your newly named second-in-command, but, adds Slabinski, it "will reduce the number of calls and messages you must attend to on your return."

(Enabling an auto-response with Yahoo! Mail takes only a few moments and a couple of clicks. Learn how here.)

In Case of Emergency

If there's a pressing issue or pending deal that you need to be involved with even if you're away, say so. Addressing a problem as it arises could save you time and heartache when you're back at work. However, warns Slabinski, "Clearly communicate if and when you want to be contacted about business matters while you're away to help minimize disruptions and ensure a peaceful break." Setting boundaries ahead of time will make sure you're not being bothered unnecessarily.

Hire Extra Help

You're probably not the only person in your department or even on your team who's taking a vacation this summer. So why not make life easier for everyone by bringing in some hired guns on a temporary basis?

"Hiring freelancers to augment your team during staff vacations can prevent remaining employees from becoming overburdened," says Slabinski. It will also keep the work that awaits you to a minimum.

Getting a new boss

There are few things that generate as much anxiety in the workplace as the introduction of a new boss. Some people fear widespread changes whilst others welcome it like a breath of fresh air.

A new manager can be the catalyst that reignites your career and provide you with the opportunity to make an impression, prove your worth to the company and potentially alter the course of your career.

So, if you want to get on the good side of a new boss, take the initiative and stand out from your colleagues.

Create your second first impression
Psychologists have deliberated for years the question of how quickly the human mind makes a first impression of something or someone. Some argue that it takes two minutes whereas others suggest it takes as little as two seconds. Whoever you believe, the point is that first impressions are important.

Getting a new boss means that you have a new opportunity to set a positive first impression. Whether you got on well with your old boss or not, that person has now gone and it’s up to you to establish a rapport with a new boss.

Dressing successfully (or unsuccessfully) can make or break a good first impression.
Shakespeare once said: “Apparel oft proclaims the man”. Your image is the outer reflection of your inner-self allowing people to judge and make assumptions of your personality and attitudes.

Don’t choose sides
Quite often when an external hire has been made, there will be someone in the office who feels that they should have been promoted to the role instead. Sometimes they will react negatively and resort to doing the bare minimum of work or bide their time to wait for the ‘new guy’ to trip up.

New bosses inevitably want to put their brand and distinctly different work styles on the department. Not everyone survives the change. But, don’t get sucked into backbiting about the new boss simply because a colleague is aggrieved at having missed out on the promotion – you don’t want to get off on the wrong foot do you?

Adopt a neutral stance on the matter. Be prepared to help your new boss if required but don’t appear over-eager.

Show enthusiasm
It will probably be a few weeks for your new boss to become acclimatised to their new working environment but, before you rush by their office and offer your services to carry out tasks that will make their life much easier - stop and wait.

In the first few weeks, your boss will become plagued with people offering to do this and that for them, possibly to their annoyance. If you come across as being too eager you could become nothing more than an irritant to your boss and even risk alienating yourself from your fellow colleagues

Volunteer for the small tasks
Let your boss know who you are and what you do. But, be mindful that volunteering for a big task may arouse the suspicion of your boss and colleagues, after all no-one wants to be seen as the office brown-nose.

Don’t be afraid to expand your current role and take on extra responsibility. Rather, opt to do the everyday tasks that nobody else wants or offer to assist with such as explaining how to operate the finicky photocopier that needs a jab and a push to work.

Don’t be a know-it-all
When a new manager enters the office, they will want to make quick but helpful changes to the workplace. They will often set aside time for private meetings with each member of their staff so that the can gauge an understanding of what their employees like or dislike and how the department can be changed for the better.

Use this as an opportunity for you to act as a key resource to help them understand how the business operates. Of course, you want to be seen as a valuable asset but, be mindful not to pretend that you are an expert on things when you are not.

And, be honest and admit if you don’t have the answer being asked of you and say “I will find out for you” or “I suggest that you ask so and so” – you will earn their respect as someone who isn’t simply a ‘yes man’.

Getting a window seat

How much do you like where you work? Not the company or organisation, or even the people, but actually where you are physically based for most of the day? Do you get to your desk in the morning and start to feel depressed before you’ve even turned your computer on? However dreary your office environment, there are things you can do to perk it - and yourself – up. Here are our top tips:

Firstly, and most importantly, make sure that your desk, chair and computer are properly aligned and set at the right height and angle for you. Ask for a workplace assessment from your health and safety officer. There’s nothing worse than being physically uncomfortable at your desk. And it’s certainly not in the interests of your company for you to be running the risk of back pain, RSI and other work-related injuries. If you work at a computer for most of the day, take regular breaks so that you are not straining your eyes. And remember that you can ask your employer to repay the cost of your annual eye test.

Next, make sure your immediate work environment makes you feel good. That might mean flowers, photographs, or just a really clear and tidy desk, but it’s your space and you should arrange it so that you work as productively as possible. Go easy on the personal effects though – a discreet photo or two is ok, the 3-foot teddy bear you won at the funfair is not!

Remember that your work space says a lot about you to those who see it. Even if you are someone who tends to work in a flurry of paper during the day, take 10 minutes before you go home to tidy up. Not only is a clear desk a sign of organisation, it makes it much easier to come in to work the next day if you know that you won’t have to spend the first half hour finding your to-do list and that essential client’s phone number!

Of course, employers also have an important responsibility to ensure that their employees are both safe and comfortable at work. If you are an employer or manager, make sure that you involve your employees in the process of improving their work environment. Often minor alterations are all that is necessary to make significant improvements, both in comfort and morale. For example, ensuring that staff have enough storage and shelving space, or that they use screen protectors to reduce monitor glare.