This is Career Design Coach Academy with Kristen Jacoway Beasley, Episode #13. If this is your first time listening, then thanks for tuning in. Career Design Coach Academy airs every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. &nbsp;The goal of Career Design Coach Academy is to inspire and educate you on the different strategies you will need for a successful job search or career transition. For additional resources, show notes, links, and a full transcript of today’s show, head on over to www.CareerDesignCoach.com/episode13. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and give the show a rating and review. For today’s freebie, I have created a Workbook on Achieving Your Goals available at www.careerdesigncoach.com/workbook. &nbsp; Welcome to the tips, apps, and recommendations Thursday. I have a great app I wanted to recommend to you it's called the Pomodoro timer that is spelled POMODORO. Basically, it is based on the Pomodoro technique and can be &nbsp;either a simple kitchen egg timer or an app at the app store on Apple iTunes. &nbsp; You can use this in order to increase your productivity and who doesn't need a little extra help with increasing with your productivity? Many times, we let emails and returning phone calls dictate how we run our day. The premise behind this is to let you break down tasks into short time intervals call Pomodoro's that allow for short breaks after a 25-minute period. This can train your brain to focus for short periods and actually helps you be more focused because you're improving your mental agility by giving it these short 3 to 5 minute breaks after your Pomodoro timer goes off. &nbsp; After you've had four successful Pomodoro’s, you can take up to a 15 to 30 minute break. I purchased the app instead of a timer because carrying a timer around with me to the places I go would not be helpful to me. Knowing myself, I would forget to pack it. &nbsp; The Pomodoro timer has really helped me with my Freedom Journal that we talked about in Episode 7. When I set out my goals for the day of what I need to focus on in order to get to my big goal that I set out to achieve in that hundred day timeframe is looking at my day and being completely honest with myself on the action steps I can achieve. &nbsp;Sometimes, my biggest trap is that I think I can accomplish way more than I can because I travel quite a bit and I don’t always factor being tired from traveling so much. When I'm reviewing my day at night in my Freedom Journal, it is helpful to look at how many Pomodoro sprints I completed that day. As I've evaluated that with my Freedom Journal on a daily basis, I am getting better at scheduling out my time to more reasonable days so that I can get these things accomplished. Remember, we all have 14,400 minutes in a day and we are running a marathon, not a sprint. I have to remind myself of this fact quite a bit. My biggest takeaway with The Freedom Journal is that even small steps have gotten me closer to my goal. Many times, I’d be overwhelmed with the goal itself and take no action because of the overwhelm. &nbsp; So, how do you get started with Pomodoro? There are five steps: &nbsp;  Choose an action step, objective, or goal to be accomplished. Set the Pomodoro timer to 25 minutes. Work on the task until the Pomodoro rings. Give yourself a checkmark on a piece of paper or let the app give you a check for each successful Pomodoro completed. Remember, you can take a short break for 3-5 minutes after each successful Pomodoro. For every 4 successfully completed Pomodoro's, you get to take a longer break for up to 15 to 30 minutes.  &nbsp; You need to commit that during your Pomodoro time you don't do anything else except for the task at hand: no checking your phone for texts, phone calls, or emails, etc. You don't want to get on social media during that time. Therefore, anything that is a distraction to you needs to be put aside for this 25 minutes unless it's an...

Episode 013: Tool to Increase Your Focus and Productivity

This is Career Design Coach Academy with Kristen Jacoway Beasley, Episode number 14. If this is your first time listening, then thanks for tuning in. I have launched a three episode per week format. On Tuesdays, I will be conducting interviews with career experts, or having a mini training on different job search tools. On Wednesdays, I will be answering an audience question, and on Thursdays, I will give you a tip, tool, or app recommendation to help you in your job search or career transition. If you would like a free checklist on the Top 8 Must-Dos for Your Job Application, head over to www.careerdesigncoach.com/application to download it. &nbsp; The goal of Career Design Coach Academy is to inspire and educate you on the different strategies you need for a successful job search or career change. For additional resources, show notes, links, and a full transcript of today's show, head on over to www.careerdesigncoach.com/episode14. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe at  iTunes, Stitcher , or  Google Play. &nbsp; Today, let’s look at the top seven resume mistakes. I love the quote that says:  Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again. This time more intelligently. ~Henry Ford  &nbsp; My son’s favorite quote by Thomas Edison:  I haven’t failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.  &nbsp; If any of these mistakes are ones you have made, no worries – just correct and move forward. Top 7 Resume Mistakes 1) (Mistake #1) Unprofessional email addresses. This is a weed out tool. If you list an unprofessional email address when it's so simple to have a free professional email address, your resume may end up in the shredder. As a former executive resume writer, I cannot tell you how many professionals had unprofessional email addresses. This is so important that this is one of the first things I discuss with a client and will help them to set up a professional job search email address. Some examples of unprofessional email addresses I have seen are ShakinMyBooty@, and SexyHotMamaOf3@ and PoohBearLovesMe@. &nbsp; One way to protect your privacy is to create a separate job search email address. You need a job search email address so that you have a dedicated place for all of your job search emails. Try to get your first and last name as the email address. For example, KristenJacoway@yahoo.com. This sounds more professional and you can get a free mail address at Google Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail and more. When you are done with this job search, you no longer have to use this email and it protects your privacy. &nbsp; When you are in a job search, make it a practice to check this email address at least twice daily as responding quickly to an employer is required if you want to get a job. Now, probably one of our biggest challenges seems that some people do not respond quickly to emails. It's imperative to their job search success. &nbsp;I realize that there are quicker ways to communicate, such as texting, but employers still, by and large, make their initial contacts through an email. Collegerecruiter.com says it's important to respond reasonably quickly to email messages. You should also acknowledge that you received an email message, even if a reply isn't required. If possible, try to respond as soon as possible or within 24 to 48 hours of receiving the email. If you are unsure about your interview availability, then reply immediately to the potential employer and let them know that you received the email and you are excited about the opportunity for an interview. You can tell the employer that you will let them know quickly when you are available for an interview. This tells them that you are professional and conscientious. &nbsp; 2) (Mistake #2) Listing confidential information on a resume, such as marital status, disability, Social Security number, number of children and more. I have worked with people who want to make sure that the employer knows that they have a disability, for example. The law,...

Top 7 Resume Mistakes

This is Career Design Coach Academy with Kristen Jacoway Beasley, Episode number 15. If this is your first time listening, then thanks for tuning in. I have launched a three episode per week format that airs every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. If you have a question you’d like for me to answer, please put ‘Podcast Question’ in the subject line and email it to kristen@careerdesigncoach.com. I will not include your name if I answer your question on this podcast to protect privacy. If you would like a free guide for the Top 10 Winning Strategies that Every Job Seeker Knows, head over to www.careerdesigncoach.com/freechecklist to get your copy. &nbsp; The goal of Career Design Coach Academy is to inspire and educate you on the different strategies you need for a successful job search or career change. For additional resources, show notes, links, and a full transcript of today's show, head on over to www.careerdesigncoach.com/episode15. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe in  iTunes, Stitcher , or  Google Play. &nbsp; How Many Years Should I Include on My Work History for My Resume? &nbsp; Welcome to Q&amp;A Wednesday. Today's question asked how far should I take my resume back in my work history? The answer is typically you want to take your resume back just 10 to 15 years. The reason you want to do that is to show how your work experience is relevant to today's marketplace challenges. Typically, employers and recruiters do not want to read pages of your resume to review work history that no longer relates to today’s workplace challenges. The technology that you might have used 20 years ago is outdated in today's workplace. &nbsp; You can add additional work experience under an area on your resume called ‘Additional Professional Experience’ where you might list the company name and job title. Another reason why resume writers will encourage you only to take your resume back 10 to 15 years is that it is helpful in preventing any type of age discrimination. &nbsp; On that Additional Professional Experience section, I do not date my professional experience. Now, in my example that I’ll have pictured on the show notes page, I worked for a company four different times in my work history. On my resume, I have included the last three times that I have worked with them, but the first time that I worked with them went under Additional Professional Experience because those dates were further than the 10 to 15 year mark I’ve just described (note the experience has been modified to protect privacy).  &nbsp; Another area where you will not date is in your education block. What matters the most is that you obtained your college degree or advanced degree. The date is not relevant unless you are a new college graduate, you are using the date to explain a gap in your work history, or if the job posting requires it. &nbsp; Exceptions to the 10-15 Year Rule &nbsp; The exception to dating your work experience to just the last 10-15 years is with federal or state job applications as well as some university or college positions. In a federal position, a longer resume is normally required that illustrates your knowledge, skills, and abilities otherwise known as your KSA's. Colleges and universities normally want a CV resume that is going to detail your work experience. For typical private sector positions, however, you will be able to you just take your resume back within those 10 to 15 year period. &nbsp; In your experience/work history, you should place this experience section of your resume after your profile and skills list. You will list your employers, where the position was located such as city and state, employment dates, job titles, descriptions of your tasks, achievements, and skills. Make sure that you are quantifying the impact of what you did in your previous position as you want these types of metrics to separate you from the pile of resumes that the HR, employer, or recruiter is reviewing. So, for example,...

Q&A : How Many Years of Work History Should I Include on a Resume

This is Career Design Coach Academy with Kristen Jacoway Beasley, Episode number 16. If this is your first time listening, then thanks for tuning in. I have launched a three episode per week format. On Tuesdays, I will be conducting interviews with career experts, or having a mini training on different job search tools. On Wednesdays, I will be answering an audience question, and on Thursdays, I will give you a tip, tool, or app recommendation to help you in your job search or career transition. &nbsp; The goal of Career Design Coach Academy is to inspire and educate you on the different strategies you need for a successful job search or career change. For additional resources, show notes, links, and a full transcript of today's show, head on over to www.careerdesigncoach.com/episode16. If you like what you hear, you can subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher , or Google Play. &nbsp; Today is tip, tool, or app recommendation day. I want to talk to you about a tool that I use called WiseStamp spelled WISESTAMP.com. They have a free version and they have a pro version.  One of the most important elements in your email responses to employers and recruiters is your email signature. You want to take advantage of this area as it is one of the most important branding tools. It’s your chance to let everyone know your thought leadership and expertise, how to contact you, and where they can learn more about you online. WiseStamp has a great program and it's been around for many years. You can enter in your signature details such as your name, company name, title, phone number, website, email address, Skype, and much more. You can also upload your headshot or a picture of yourself and then you can add social icons where someone could learn more about you on social media. The social media platforms you list should be places where someone can see your thought leadership and expertise such as your LinkedIn profile. &nbsp; As of April 2016 when I am recording this show, if you upgrade to the pro version, then you're going to get unlimited signatures premium templates, removal of the WiseStamp branding from your signature, you can customize social icons, and more. As of April 2016, the PRO version does cost $48 per year. I use the free version and always have used the free version. &nbsp; WiseStamp is an add-on to your browser's window, such as Firefox and Google Chrome, and it works with supported providers such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL, Outlook, Mac mail, iPhone, Thunderbird and more. They offer several social media apps and icons, like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and more. The most important information that I would include on your email signature if you are in a job search or career transition is your name, phone number, email address, desired occupation, and your link to your LinkedIn profile. &nbsp; So there you have it! Another episode of Career Design Coach Academy. Head on over to www.careerdesigncoach.com/episode16 to see a picture of my WiseStamp signature block as well as the transcript for today. &nbsp; I love hearing from you. Do me a favor, and share this podcast with one person who you know will benefit from it. Thank you so much for tuning into the show, and I'll catch you next time. &nbsp;

How to Brand Your Email Signature

Today, we are going to discuss 11 Steps To A Recruiter-Friendly Resume. Technology has changed the way companies do business, and that change extends to the hiring process. Thanks to the Internet, a recruiter may have hundreds of applicants to sort through in order to find the optimal candidate. This means they don’t have time to read them all and tease out the details that may make a candidate perfect for a job. It’s up to you to make sure that your submission works for your recruiter and is ready to impress on first glance. In fact, an eye tracking study by Ladders.com found that employers spend only six seconds looking at a resume the first time. Follow these 11 tips to ensure that your document makes an excellent first impression.

11 Steps To A Recruiter-Friendly Resume

Today is Q&amp;A Wednesday and the question reads, ‘Is it still necessary to write a thank you note after an interview?’ So, let’s dive into to the answer! Millions of job interviews occur each year, and applicants fight hard to get the job in each one. Hundreds of applicants literally fight each other for the same job, each one trying outdo the next one. Only the applicant with the best “closing act” will win the job, so every trick and effort makes a difference. Some people still believe in the “thank you” letter as a way of sealing the deal if they didn’t seal it at the end of the interview. The following contains some information on the positives and negatives of the “thank you” note.

Should I Write a Thank You Letter?

In today’s app recommendation Thursday, we are going to crack the New LinkedIn Students App. LinkedIn is the leading social network for business professionals. It’s one of the fastest growing social media sites and provides users with great opportunities for meeting potential employers, employees, partners and more. There is now an app called LinkedIn Students, made especially for students who want to use LinkedIn to help them find a job or internship. This app can also be used by professionals in higher education who want to help their students succeed. Let’s find out how this new app can make LinkedIn more useful for students.

Cracking the New LinkedIn Students App

Well, hello there! This is Career Design Coach Academy with Kristen Jacoway Beasley, Episode #20. If this is your first time listening, then thank you for tuning in! Career Design Coach Academy airs every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 7:00 AM ET. The goal of Career Design Coach is to educate and coach you on the strategies and techniques for you to have a successful job search or position yourself for a career advancement. &nbsp; Today's podcast is brought to you by audible.com - get a FREE audiobook download and 30-day free trial at www.careerdesigncoach.com/book. You have over 180,000 titles to choose from for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player. &nbsp; The 11 Biggest Job Search Mistakes You Can Easily Avoid Today, we are going to discuss some of the biggest job search mistakes you can easily avoid – 11 of them to be exact. You want to be smart in your job search so you can land that dream job, so let's take a look at common errors people make in their job search. &nbsp;  #1 Develop a strategy for how you will leave your digital footprint on social media. Your strategy will include how you will showcase your thought leadership and expertise in your industry. You need to determine your personal brand to see how you are unique from everyone else who has your same job title. What are your strengths, your team and leadership roles, and so on? A great way to find out your strengths is to take the Gallup Strengthsfinder test at gallupstrengthscenter.com. For as little as $15, you will be able to discover your top 5 strengths and download the bestselling StrengthsFinder 2.0 e-book. If you are positioning to move up or into another industry, think about the kind of content someone in that position shares.  &nbsp;  #2 If you do share on social media, be conservative. "When in doubt, go without," as the old saying goes. If you are not sure if a photo or comment might be too risqué for your social media network or networks, make a conscious decision not to post it. It is always a good idea to err on the side of caution. As they say, when posting something online, it is never truly "gone." Someone can always take a screenshot of your comments&nbsp;whether they be good or bad. You don't want negative comments or outrageous photos to make their way back to your potential and possibly future employer, not only embarrassing you&nbsp;but ruining or damaging your reputation.  &nbsp;  #3 Don't use foul language online. Once again, err on the side of caution when it comes to word choice when making comments online. You may choose to censor yourself somewhat, as you never know who will be reading your posts. Remember that according to the JobVite 2015 Social Recruiting Survey, 65% of employers and recruiters surveyed said that profanity in posts are a big turn-off.  &nbsp;  #4 Be truthful about your work history. Don't ever lie to employers about your work history. If you have a substantial gap on your resumé, be ready to answer for it with a reason as to why you were not working. For example, if you were a full-time parent for a few years after just having a new baby in the family, your potential employer will probably much more sympathetic if you demonstrate that you have been using your time doing something responsible. You want to show your employer that you are hard-working and are doing worthwhile things with your free time.  &nbsp;  #5 Make sure your LinkedIn profile matches the information on your resumé or CV. Please make sure your LinkedIn profile and your resumé or CV match. This should be obvious, but you would be surprised at how many peoples' professional work history on paper may not exactly match what is on their LinkedIn pages. If dates, job titles, degrees, or other important items are contradictory between your resume and what you have on social media profiles, it can hurt you.  &nbsp;  #6 Don't apply to a job that you hate. If your heart is really set on getting a job in sales, don't apply to work in a...

Episode 020: The 11 Biggest Job Search Mistakes You Can Easily Avoid

Announcement concerning the frequency of the podcast. Career Design Coach Academy will now air once per week on Tuesdays at 7:00 AM ET.

Announcement

Hello there! This is Career Design Coach Academy with Kristen Jacoway Beasley, Episode #29. If this is your first time listening, then thank you for tuning in! Career Design Coach Academy airs every Tuesday at 7:00 AM ET. The goal of Career Design Coach is to educate and coach you on the strategies and techniques for you to have a successful job search or position yourself for a career advancement. &nbsp; &nbsp; Today we are going to discuss why is having a ready elevator pitch going to help me land that job? Most people associate elevator pitches with people looking to start or grow a business. But there is another important use for them: Self-promotion. If you are looking for a job or hoping to get a promotion, you really need to develop an elevator pitch. &nbsp; What is an Elevator Pitch? If you aren't familiar with the term, this is a short two or three sentence summary of what you do, what value you have to offer and what your goal is. It is called an elevator pitch because it is rooted in the idea that if you happen to run into a big wig in an elevator, that may be your one and only shot at impressing them. &nbsp; In that scenario, if you do not have your pitch prepared in advance, the odds are poor that you can successfully communicate anything important in the small window of time available. The reality is that you get only one chance to make a good first impression with anyone. In today's fast paced world, you typically need to do so in just a few seconds, whether or not you are on an elevator. &nbsp; Crafting a Good Pitch A good elevator pitch contains a high density of information in the smallest possible number of words. This is why "It is like Uber for X" is a popular meme: In a mere four words, the statement "It is like Uber" suggests a lot about the intended business model and the expectation that it will be game changing. &nbsp; This idea generalizes. If you can use a metaphor or a comparison to something generally well known, you can convey more information and more nuance. This is why people who are good at effectively resolving a crisis at work are sometimes called "firemen." &nbsp; The Strength of the Weak Tie Once you have a good elevator pitch, practice it so it sounds natural and start using it with people you meet. Do not save it up for that one big wig in an elevator with you. &nbsp; There are three reasons to do this: &nbsp; &nbsp;  It gives you practice. It gives you feedback so you can further refine your pitch. It puts the word out.  &nbsp; &nbsp; Putting the word out is the best way to advertise that you are looking for a job in X industry or a promotion to Y position. People you barely know have the best odds of knowing about an open position that you have no other means to find. &nbsp; When you give your elevator pitch to anyone and everyone, it casts the widest possible net. It substantially increases the odds that someone will tell you about a company that needs people to fill the job you want. It also makes it possible for them to tell someone else about you. &nbsp; You may not think that last thing matters, but it can be particularly pertinent if you have a corporate job and are looking for an internal promotion. If you have a good relationship to your boss and you let them know where you want to go next within the company, they are likely in a position to pass your name along behind closed doors when the department is looking for people to fill that spot. &nbsp; Cover Your Bases Of course, an elevator pitch alone will not get you a job. You also need to have a resume on standby and actively networking online and offline. You need to be prepared to do the other things typically required in the hiring process. &nbsp; Your elevator pitch should not make claims that you cannot back up in some way. You need to have the requisite education and experience to qualify for the job you desire. &nbsp; A good elevator pitch can help you make connections. Many jobs are not ever advertised....

Episode 29: Why Having a Ready Elevator Pitch is so Important

Kristen is a successful business leader, CEO of Career Design Coach, podcaster of the show, Career Design Coach Academy, and the author of the best-selling published book, ‘I’m in a Job Search – Now What???’ now in its’ 2nd edition. Her book is being used as a required textbook in some large university programs. She is the contributing author in the prestigious best sellers of books titled: Personal Branding for Dummies, Cover Letters for Dummies, Job Search Letters for Dummies, and more. She is often tapped by the media for quotes, including the Atlantic City Weekly, Monster.com, TheLadders.com, Aol, Yahoo Careers, Identity Protection.com (part of Equifax), etc.