Managing Change A Success Story - Hire Imaging

Managing Change A Success Story - Hire Imaging Rafa Garces To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself.” ~ Henri Bergson Change is a constant in our lives. As Tom Hanks so pithily affirms in the movie, Forest Gump, “Change happens.” I work with clients who are near or at retirement. I hear stories of planning for changeâ€"even wanting it, and then when it happens, it feels like an uneasy bombshell. The loss of a job, planned or not, and the follow-up retirement, welcome or forced, ranks as one of the highest-stress changes in life. It’s natural for people to resist retirement change. It interrupts their schedule, pushes them out of their comfort zone, and can make them feel they’ve lost their identity and control. Some of my clients’ most-stated reasons for resisting retirement change? Fear of the unknown (“What do I do next? I’ve done this for so long.”) Not feeling ready (“I’m not ready for downsizing; I need more time.”) Stuck in the past (“I miss my old job; I wish I were still there.”) Risk averse / Worried what others think (“I’m not great on the Internet; I won’t fit in.”) In overcoming this resistance and moving forward, what’s worked? Pinpointing and acknowledging the obstacles in their way. Facing the barriers preventing them from taking action. Working hard on developing and following a realistic plan of action. Marty had an interesting launch into retirement. An Operations VP with a Fortune 500 retailer, he began his career in the stock room and rose through the ranks. When his company downsized, Marty took early retirement. A huge life change. After 34 years working for the same company, still wanting to work, he had to restructure his life. He had lost much of his social life, as it was also connected to his old employment. He first tried to keep busy job hunting. He was repeatedly told that he was overqualified.  He felt that at age 58, doors were closing too early. He tried consulting for a year, and decided it wasn’t a fit. He drove taxi for a friend’s company, and tried to start a small business with another fellow retiree. Things fell through. This was a tough time for Marty; he felt defeated and pessimistic. A friend invited him to Florida. Marty figured he had nothing else going. Subletting their apartment for six months, he and his wife set off for tropical warmth. While there, he met the friend’s neighbor, who owned a bagel shop. Marty worked there awhile for something to do. He became inspired and within a year, opened his own back home. It was slow at first, but his prior retail operations expertise combined with the excitement of this brand new adventure (one that was his own business baby) made it work! That was six years ago. He loves his life! Lessons learned from Marty? His sudden change in employment motivated him to try new places and explore different options. He took risks; but also did not jump in erratically (sublet his apartment so he could return to Minneapolis). He experimented before making major moves. He rediscovered his strengths, his joys and a new career at 58 years young! He planned to make the future his present. His strategic approach to change and retirement produced delightful results! You see things; and say, ‘why?’ But I dream things that never were; and say ‘why not?’” ~ George Bernard Shaw

3 ways your company can manage more projects

?3 ways your company can manage more projects At one point or another all companies seek growth, but that mission can be stifled too easily by staffing, time, and other constraints. Successfully tackling additional projects means having the right team in place at the right time. Scaling up quickly might seem intimidating, but there are some strategic ways to do it without burning out your team or breaking the bank. Sandesh Joshi, president and co-founder of global outsourcing company Indovance Inc., a business that manages outsourced projects in architectural design, mechanical and civil engineering and publishing, sees businesses facing this challenge daily. He has seen numerous success stories that result from companies taking a strategic approach to tackling more work, and here he shares some effective techniques: 1. Streamline the process Productivity is one of the buzz words a business leader never gets out of his or her head. Historically, productivity was thought of as being efficient and managing schedules to perfection, but in today’s competitive global marketplace, productivity goes well beyond time management. In order to stay profitable and grow, companies must create new strategies that allow them to take on additional projects, increase sales, or expand the scope of current assignments. Increasing output from your existing team is obviously the most cost-effective way to equip a company to take on more work, but it’s much easier said than done. Creating systems that streamline day-to-day processes is a great way to minimize efforts repeatedly being put into the same type of projects. It could be as simple as designating one team member to draft a timeline for a campaign, rather than multiple people, so the team can spend more time on collaboration. The most important thing to remember is not everything can or should be streamlined. Start with identifying what can be and let your team be part of the process. Change can be hard to embrace for some employees, but if they’re involved, it becomes much easier. Additionally, consistently re-evaluating your team’s skillsets is vital, as some employees may be able to knock out certain tasks quicker than others â€" and that could change week to week. It’s crucial to know the current individual strengths of every person you employ so you can reallocate job roles as needed and truly leverage those abilities to help reach â€" and surpass â€" your bottom-line goals. 2. Think outside the box When it’s time to look outside your existing team for help, for a short-term or specialty project, for example, one of the quickest yet most cost effective strategies is outsourcing external assistance. This can help eliminate or bridge immediate workload needs instead of creating gaps from a long hiring process. It’s also a very successful tactic for jobs that are short-term or require very defined skills. Hiring external help is becoming a more prevalent business practice thanks to an ever-growing competitive landscape, but it is still fairly new to some companies. Fortunately, a wide variety of services can be outsourced ranging from marketing, accounting, human resources, customer support, engineering, and more. Most recently, computer-aided design has become one of the most outsourced services in the world across multiple industries. The most obvious benefit of outsourcing is the ability to add additional bandwidth in a short period of time, allowing you to scale up and down whenever appropriate. Keep in mind, an external team can start helping immediately, supporting or eliminating the time it takes to hire internally. Another valuable incentive for companies is cost efficiency: your company can save money by eliminating the need to recruit, conduct on-the-job training, or cover overhead costs. With the right partner, outsourced work can be equal to or even higher quality than that of work completed internally because the outside team is able to focus on the specific task at hand. 3. Keep everyone in the loop No matter which route you take to tackle additional projects, communication with your employees is vital to the overall long-term success of the company. Some people are naturally resistant to change and may have concerns about job security and added work arising when projects are outsourced or workload is shifted to increase productivity. However, studies show with early communication and transparency, your internal team will be more likely to accept and even welcome the change or addition. The biggest selling point in doing so is pointing out the benefits to them personally, such as reduced pressures. Be sure not to overlook employee morale, as it drastically impacts productivity and the success of any project. Making sure communication is clear during any major change will ensure a smooth transition for everyone involved. Join Dana Manciagli’s Job Search Master Class right now and immediately access the most comprehensive job search system currently available!

Ten Ways to Know If Youre a Creative Entrepreneur

Ten Ways to Know If Youre a Creative Entrepreneur Self Portrait by flapperdoodle. Isnt she just the epitome of a creative entrepreneur? Youve already met Tara Lutman Agacayak back in my second installment of Grown-Up Gigs. She describes it below, so Im not gonna, but seriously, click on the link read it if you havent already. As you can probably guess, I was thrilled to get Taras submission as a guest blogger, I think her 10 Ways are dead on. They absolutely confirmed for me that Im a creative entrepreneur. What about you? In one of her Grown-up Gig posts, Michelle introduced me as “Creative Entrepreneurial   Endeavor Developer”.   Though that’s a mouthful, I still haven’t decided on the appropriate title for myself.   But I do know that I enjoy seeing other people develop viable creative businesses.   For this post I thought I’d put together a list of things that I think describe what a creative entrepreneur is since the term can be a bit vague (but creatives are good with vague, aren’t we?).   So, without further ado … You know you are a creative entrepreneur if: You are challenged by working for others and you march to the beat of your own drummer. You have a job working for someone else but you constantly imagine what you would do if you were self-employed. You see the world as a place to experience life, not just make it through another day. You have a unique perspective that you manifest and express using your own vocabulary â€"  such as color, texture, shape, harmony, melody, composition, pitch, shade, tone, clarity, ambiguity, to the touch, palette, savory, sweet, light, dark … [add your own vocabulary here] You encounter another creative person doing really authentic, honest work, and it makes you light up inside. You graciously accept monetary compensation for your hard work and have a real sense of the value of your time and how that translates into what you’ve produced. It is difficult for you to separate what you love from what you do. You are never satisfied, and continuously yearn for ways to grow and develop yourself through your creative talent. You are able to put both your right and left brain to work to produce something that is at once creative and also profitable. It kills your spirit to work in any job other than what you feel drawn to creatively. What do you think?   Do you agree?   What other things would you add to the list?   Feel free to share in the comments section. Tara Lutman Agacayak is an American ex-pat living in Turkey.   She is one of two founding partners at Intarsia Concept where she works to develop creative businesses as well as at Citara’s and Behind the Bazaar.

The Death of Lloyds Resume Writing Services

The Death of Lloyds Resume Writing Services Needless to say, the best method to discover such assistance is if you have a look into the top rated professional resume writing services reviews. It is possible to still pick the most reputable and dependable company by reading reviews at AUresumereviews.com. If you cannot locate a review on a specific company you want to know more about, I advise that you take a peek at our top rated resume writing services and pick one from the list. Are you seeking high-quality and inexpensive biography writing services. Lloyds Resume Writing Services Fundamentals Explained Be certain that if you specialize in technical field, you will be supplied with technical writer resume who's knowledgeable about special terminology and expressions. Resume writing services have a personalized approach to come up with a sort of resume that will certainly offer the maximum quality of professional resume writing. Our 20 templates supply you with examples for most instances which you might face. Cover letters can only be purchased in a package with the resume. When applying for work, it's wise to phone in advance and learn if the business you're applying to scans their resume submissions. The resume is a rather important document in regards to the work application. Whether you are a newcomer to writing resumes and cover letters or your written resume doesn't appear to secure you invited on a lot of interviews, we're right here to assist you. Do not permit social media remain in the method of your success! Dig deeper, and see what it's possible to find about yourself on social networking. The services are basically the exact same as the ones you'll be able to get on other high-quality sites. You may also view a resume sample on the internet to find a notion of a professionally written resume. The Lloyds Resume Writing Services Cover Up Resume composing firms are a fantastic place from where you are able to readily get your resu me crafted in a fashion which potential recruiters would want. Other crucial areas in your work experience will likewise be explored to highlight your credentials and make a stand-out resume. Our studies have provided us insight on various topics like recruiter preferences on resume length, how to tackle employment gaps, overcoming discrimination at work, and a number of other details that we're able to make the most of when tailoring our resumes to specific employer types. In reality, underestimating the significance of resume in job search is among the explanations for why it's not simple to stick out from the remainder of applicants. The Chronicles of Lloyds Resume Writing Services Keep in mind, bulk of the companies do not have the time to interview all the candidates. As an issue of fact, some respected businesses offer quite a fair rate for resume help, and several of them have a selection of packages you can pick from to save a little money in the approach. It's also im portant to review what kinds of services are provided by the organization. You may employ the help of competent resume writing professionals at astonishingly competitive rates.

10 Little Things That Make A Big Difference To Hiring Managers - Work It Daily

10 Little Things That Make A Big Difference To Hiring Managers - Work It Daily As a former hiring manager in several consulting firms, I often wondered if candidates were cognizant of the impression they made on employers. Related: How Hiring Managers Make Decisions Even small things, such as the frown displayed by an applicant upon arriving at an interview, or the worn-out jeans on an applicant in a roomful of suits, gave me pause as I worked to screen candidates. Ironically, many of the issues I spotted were easily fixed by taking care of seemingly minor issues. In some cases, these corrections would have made the difference in making the hire vs. taking a pass on the applicant! Here are 10 “little” things that make a big difference to hiring managers in your job search: 1. Your Digital Identity Yes, hiring authorities will be checking out your LinkedIn presence and verifying that your Facebook activity is not violating their corporate policies. But have you stopped to think about your Tweets or the content you’re giving a +1 on Google+? Even the most realistic employer will need to assess your liability as a potential new hire. Therefore, your online activity must be sufficiently toned-down and presentable to a potential companyâ€"long before you enter the job market. If you’ve kept up a website on your middle-of-the-night gaming habit or constantly Tweeted your distaste for political candidates, these items can offend hiring managersâ€"and cause them to rethink bringing you in for an interview. 2. Your Honesty Struggling to hide gaps in your work history on your resume? Failing to mention that new job you just took (that isn’t working out)? White lies or sins of omission on your resume and in your interviews will come back to haunt you in more than one way. If interviewers don’t catch these items during the resume screening process, there’s still a chance that your background check will reveal all. Even after you’re hired, your record of impeccable service won’t make up for less-than-forthright stories on your resume or LinkedIn Profile. Stories abound of high-profile executives, entertainment professionals, and sports coaches who attended college but didn’t graduateâ€"and who paid the price for fudging these resume details years down the road. 3. Your Accessibility Are you open enough on LinkedIn that others can contact you? Or, did you forget to make your email address (and possibly mobile number) visible to other users? Here are best practices for ensuring you’re more easily reached on LinkedIn: From the “Edit Profile” menu, look under the box with your name and headline for “Edit Contact Info.” Here, you can fill in your email address and phone numbersâ€"but don’t stop there! Also, add your email address to your Summary section, which will make it easier for users outside your network to contact you. Joining Groups is also an important step in becoming accessible to employers. Sharing a Group with another user means he or she can reach out to you for free (important to recruiters maximizing their LinkedIn budgets). Don’t forget the Contact information section; select Privacy Settings from the top right (hover the mouse under your name). Choose the “Communication” tab at the bottom left, and “Select the types of messages you’re willing to receive.” Add a paragraph in the “Advice to People Who Are Contacting You” box that includes your preference for email, phone, or LinkedIn messages. 4. Your Job Search Follow Up Sent in a resume, but failed to take any action beyond pressing the Send button? If you didn’t spend some time following up or identifying company insiders for further networking, your job search will take longer. Doing some homework on the employer’s business needs and identifying key people for personal follow-up (through LinkedIn or an online search) shows them you’re truly interested in a career opportunity, and that you’ve given thought to solving their business problems. Be sure to use formal channels when applying to a posted job, then reach out to your newly found contacts to reiterate your interest in joining the company. 5. The Tone Of Your Cover Letter Or LinkedIn Message Cranking out LinkedIn InMail messages or cover letters at top speedâ€"with just a few adjustments here and there? Hiring managers can smell a “form letter” approach a mile away. Nothing says “I’m desperate and don’t care about your needs” more than a disjointed cover letter or a LinkedIn message that simply asks for a job. No matter how you’re getting in touch with employers, take the time to write a brand-specific message of value to themâ€"helping them discover who you are, what you offer, and why you’re interested in a position with their company. 6. Your Demeanor When Arranging The Interview When setting up any kind of a business meeting, there’s a certain amount of give and take required for coordination. No matter how in-demand your skills may be, you’ll be expected to acquiesce to interview timing and location parameters set by employers. That can mean dealing with less-than-helpful receptionists or HR personnel, all of whom will be taking notes on your reactions. Your phone etiquette and e-mail communications will be watched closely; a courteous and respectful tone will go miles in reinforcing your professional brand. 7. Your Appraisal Of The Interviewer Feeling put out by the fact that your interviewer appears younger, more inexperienced, or otherwise beneath you in the professional hierarchy? Be careful how you convey this disapproval. You may believe you’re hiding these feelings (yet, as one of those younger-looking interviewers, I often picked up on this tone very quickly!). Even if you decide mid-interview that you’re not interested in the company, remember to display a high degree of professionalism. You never know how well-connected your interviewer might be. 8. Your Discretion Polarizing, hot-button subjects such as politics or religion should make their way out of your resume, LinkedIn Profile, interview discussions, and side conversations. No matter how neutral or popular you consider your stance to be on these topics, there’s bound to be someone who disagrees with youâ€"and who votes against hiring you. 9. Your Post-Interview Actions Yes, you should be sending a thank-you note to employers after your interviews! Whether a short, handwritten card, LinkedIn message, email, or even hard-copy letter, a Thank You letter gives employers the impression you’re willing to convey appreciation for their time. A post-interview note can also be used to address lingering questions, countering potential objections (“Regarding our discussion on your new Western region, I can assure you that I’m accustomed to handling accounts in-person for maximum effect â€" and therefore open to travel”). Be sure to address your notes to each person you’ve encountered in the interview process, especially if you’ve met with a panel or group. 10. The Frequency Of Your Messages Just because social media lets you send messages faster than ever doesn’t mean you should pester employers. Following up once or twice after applying for a job should suffice to let them know of your interest. The same is true of the post-interview period. Hiring managers have companies to run and customers to serve, in addition to the process of choosing you. They may also have other candidates to consider. Staying on employers’ radar is important, but so is professional discretion. Aim for somewhere in between silent and stalker in your follow-up activities. In summary, there are numerous ways employers can be put off by your job search practices or approach. Ensure you’re taking steps to satisfy their need for information and put your best professional foot forward. This post was originally published on an earlier date. Related Posts How Do Employers Find Their Ideal Candidate? 5 Skills Employers Want Their Employees To Have 4 Ways To Stand Out To Employers About the author Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Director of An Expert Resume, is a resume industry leader, 13-time global TORI resume award winner, LinkedIn expert, author, personal brand strategist, and former recruiter with 20+ years of experience winning choice jobs for executives and rising leaders.   Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approve expert. You can learn more about expert posts here. Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join For Free!

Why Networking Trumps a Job Posting - Your Career Intel

Why Networking Trumps a Job Posting - Your Career IntelJob seekers spend endless hours wellenreiten job boards and sending out resumes but all too often are met with stony silence in response. The truth is that networking is a far more powerful way to land a great professional opportunity. The importance of networking cant be overstated the statistics on the matter are consistent and dramatic. As I can attest to from my years in executive recruitment, 60 to 80 percent of jobs are obtained through networking.Lets break down the importance of networking in business and why your network trumps surfing job boards and online postingsMost jobs arent publishedIt may feel like the web is flooded with job listings. However the vast majority of open positions actually arent posted. In my experience, only 20 to 40 percent of company positions end up online and, the more senior the role, the less likely it is to be advertised online. The only way to get access to those unpublished jobs is by bui lding up your network which enables you to obtain the inside track on genuine opportunities.Recruiters are inundated with applicationsWhen jobs are posted online, internal recruiters are flooded with applications. Consequently, those recruiters are left looking for a needle in a haystack. The vast majority of the applications arent quite right so its incredibly easy for a resume to get overlooked in the shuffle and never end up in the hands of a hiring manager. In many cases, a human never even looks at your resume. It gets scanned into an Applicant Tracking System alongside hundreds of others and is archived away.Recruiters rely on networkingI am often asked, Why is social networking important for job seekers? The answer is clear and simple you have to be where the recruiters are to connect with them and recruiters are on LinkedIn Posting jobs and screening resumes is such an inefficient process that recruiters are now actively searching for candidates that meet their criteria ins tead of the other way around.Even better, go around the recruiters and straight to the hiring managers by attending networking events. Personality and culture fit dont translate onto paper, so any time you can put yourself in front of people youre at an advantage.Interviews that come through networking are higher qualityWhen you walk into an interview obtained through networking, you already have a leg up on candidates who landed the interview from a job posting. Interviewers generally have a favorable bias towards job seekers recommended by someone within the organization or their own networks. Youve been vouched for so to speak, and therefore have a greater likelihood of ultimately being hired.A human connection is always more powerful than a digital one. Read up on Your Career Intel for networking tips to get you started and share your experiences below.

15 Times Working Dads Feel No Shame (so Working Moms Shouldnt Either)

15 Times Working Dads Feel No Shame (so Working Moms Shouldnt Either) Theres no doubt that being a working mom nowadays is thoroughly exhausting. Its also deeply rewarding, but did we mention its exhausting? From the morning rush to the bedtime scramble, every moment feels like were barely treading water, trying to do the best for our kids and our career. Then, of course, we feel guilty about the compromises we strike just to make it all work. And then we feel guilty for feeling guilty. Why are we giving ourselves such a hard time?Good question. You know who doesnt spend the whole day feeling guilty about taking a shortcut or two when necessary? Working dads. Without the societal pressure to be perfect parents, it simply doesnt faze themor even occur to them to worrywhen they arent on their A game. Thats not a criticism, by the way. Working dads are great dads, and theres no proof that intensive parenting is good for kids anyway. Maybe we working moms should take a page from working dads, and give ourselves a break from time to time. Here are some of the times your working dad partner probably doesnt stressand neither should you.1. Sending the kids to daycare when he has the day off from work.Was it ever really a question? Hell be catching up on yard work and hitting the gymas he should.2. Feeding the kids pancakes and ice cream for dinner.Its calories. They kids are still alive. All is well. (And its more fun anyways.)3. Dressing the kids for daycare like a tornado that whipped through a secondhand store.Stains? Check. Tears? Check. Clashing colors? Check. Hey, at least all the pertinent parts are covered.4. The state of the house when guests come over.If the guests dont like it, they can put on gloves and get to scrubbing.5. Letting the kids veg out in front of the TV or iPad.Hey, its educational. Sometimes.6. Skipping the class field trip.Hell just catch the next oneif he can.7. Skipping a bath or two.Germs build immunity, right?8. Skipping a soccer practice or two.Hell be there for the big game, but every single scrimmage? Pass.9. Giving simple gift cards to friends, family and your kids teacher.He wont be cruising Pinterest at midnight to come up with the perfect handmade creation, or turning pipe cleaners into wreaths. Because why should he? Better question Why should anyone?10. His dad bod.And he wasnt even the one who carried a kid for 9 months.11. Donating cash to the school fundraiser instead of harassing his colleagues to buy 20 sets of sheets.Or chocolate bars. Or coupon books. Or baked goods. Or books. Or popcorn tins.12. Going out with the guys.He needs that time. Youre entitled to your own.13. Tucking leftovers in the kids lunch box until theyre eaten or green.Because no one has time to cut sandwiches into heart shapes.14. Not checking the daycare app. Ever.He (rightly) assumes theyre feeding your child.15. Ignoring the laundry every now and then in favor of playing video games.If youre not a gamer, substitute playing vide o games with watching Sex and the City reruns, and enjoy.--Audrey Goodson Kingo and Meredith BodgasThis story originally appeared inWorking Mother.