Transitions, Moving On and Moving Forward

Transitions, Moving On and Moving Forward This is one of the weirdest blog posts I’ve every written. An Announcement In a nutshell, I got a job. A real, go to work, at an office, in a company, job. It’s been twelve years and almost a month since I was laid off. Here I am, twelve+ years later and I can’t believe I just wrote that sentence. What does this mean for JobberJobber? Nothing, and everything. Nothing because nothing big will change.. We’ll keep moving forward, and the team has plenty of work to do. Everything because of the way I’m restructuring things, I’ll be more focused on strengthening the core of JibberJobber, and doing the right things for the product and our users.  More on that below. A “Coincidence” Is there such thing as a coincidence? A few weeks ago I started my fourth book, which I’m leaning towards titling The Twelve Year Job Search. Little did I know that half way through writing this book I would accept a job, almost exactly 12 years to the day I was let go from my last “real job.” The intense emotional roller-coaster I’ve been on these last few weeks was something I was not prepared for. I know a lot about the job search process but had forgotten just how intensely stressful parts of it can be (for me, the parts where I have no control). A Real Job For the last twelve years my “real job” has been entrepreneur, founder, owner, and more. I’ve authored three (published) books, became a professional speaker, authored 30 Pluralsight courses, done webinars and podcasts and written ebooks and white papers and blog posts (for others). I built my JibberJobber team bringing in talented contractors from around the world, five of which work as a team on the product right now. I was looking for a product management job, and happened to see an opening from a company I was really, really interested in (BambooHR). The job wasn’t on the product team, but the description was close enough that it piqued my interest. As I read it I thought “I’ve done all of these things… I could totally do this.” I applied on a whim, thinking I was really more suited for a product management job. You can read all about this job here: I need a top notch program manager This is one of three postings I found for this job (they were all a little different). I thought, “Is this real? I know it’s not in product, but man, it seems like this job was written for me!” A Company and A Boss I got a reply from the hiring manager and was brought in for my first interview… and the rest is history. But more importantly, in my research and then interview process, I fell in love with the company. BambooHR makes HR software (including ATS software that strikes me as funny) for small to medium companies. It’s not the software I fell in love with (I hadn’t had much exposure to it), rather I fell in love with the history of BambooHR and the culture they have created. As I learned more  I couldn’t help but want to be a part of this culture. I want to contribute to this culture, as I build out the vision of the thought leadership programs under my new boss, Rusty (see link above). I found Rusty’s Ted talk, and a short talk he did for Toastmasters, and read about his background. He is the type of person I want to work with. I am excited for the opportunity to learn from him and build these programs with him. I trust him, and believe in his vision, and want to be a part of this!  I know the alternative… working for someone you don’t like or don’t trust, and I have no interest in that. I feel lucky to have found this opportunity at this company for this leader… a great combination! A Future for JibberJobber JibberJobber was born almost twelve years ago. We have had over 100,000 people sign up and try to manage and organize a job search. We currently have five people (aside from me) with dedicated roles, including customer support, QA, server admin, and software development. I have been the product manager, and with this big change I started to transition many of my functions to Liz, who many users have already interacted with. I plan on spending time, regularly, with JibberJobber, as the Chief of Product. Liz will add product manager to her duties, and will work closely with me to ensure the team focuses on the right things for our users and our future. While my team will continue to stay busy, we’ll make sure the limited amount of time we have is spent on the most important projects. When I spent four years developing Pluralsight videos I spent a lot more time there than as product manager in JibberJobber. After Pluralsight I went back to JibberJobber with a renewed interest and was appalled at where we were at. I take all of that on me, as product manager. This time I will not make the same mistakes. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time with Liz talking about vision and priorities, and have met with each of my team, and I’m dedicated to making this a great time for JibberJobber, not a time of strategic neglect. I hope this is reflected in the product, and your experience. A Conclusion I’ve written a few more pages but really, this is too long already. If you have any questions, let me know. I’ll be available mornings and evenings, and hope to continue our relationship. Transitions, Moving On and Moving Forward This is one of the weirdest blog posts I’ve every written. An Announcement In a nutshell, I got a job. A real, go to work, at an office, in a company, job. It’s been twelve years and almost a month since I was laid off. Here I am, twelve+ years later and I can’t believe I just wrote that sentence. What does this mean for JobberJobber? Nothing, and everything. Nothing because nothing big will change.. We’ll keep moving forward, and the team has plenty of work to do. Everything because of the way I’m restructuring things, I’ll be more focused on strengthening the core of JibberJobber, and doing the right things for the product and our users.  More on that below. A “Coincidence” Is there such thing as a coincidence? A few weeks ago I started my fourth book, which I’m leaning towards titling The Twelve Year Job Search. Little did I know that half way through writing this book I would accept a job, almost exactly 12 years to the day I was let go from my last “real job.” The intense emotional roller-coaster I’ve been on these last few weeks was something I was not prepared for. I know a lot about the job search process but had forgotten just how intensely stressful parts of it can be (for me, the parts where I have no control). A Real Job For the last twelve years my “real job” has been entrepreneur, founder, owner, and more. I’ve authored three (published) books, became a professional speaker, authored 30 Pluralsight courses, done webinars and podcasts and written ebooks and white papers and blog posts (for others). I built my JibberJobber team bringing in talented contractors from around the world, five of which work as a team on the product right now. I was looking for a product management job, and happened to see an opening from a company I was really, really interested in (BambooHR). The job wasn’t on the product team, but the description was close enough that it piqued my interest. As I read it I thought “I’ve done all of these things… I could totally do this.” I applied on a whim, thinking I was really more suited for a product management job. You can read all about this job here: I need a top notch program manager This is one of three postings I found for this job (they were all a little different). I thought, “Is this real? I know it’s not in product, but man, it seems like this job was written for me!” A Company and A Boss I got a reply from the hiring manager and was brought in for my first interview… and the rest is history. But more importantly, in my research and then interview process, I fell in love with the company. BambooHR makes HR software (including ATS software that strikes me as funny) for small to medium companies. It’s not the software I fell in love with (I hadn’t had much exposure to it), rather I fell in love with the history of BambooHR and the culture they have created. As I learned more  I couldn’t help but want to be a part of this culture. I want to contribute to this culture, as I build out the vision of the thought leadership programs under my new boss, Rusty (see link above). I found Rusty’s Ted talk, and a short talk he did for Toastmasters, and read about his background. He is the type of person I want to work with. I am excited for the opportunity to learn from him and build these programs with him. I trust him, and believe in his vision, and want to be a part of this!  I know the alternative… working for someone you don’t like or don’t trust, and I have no interest in that. I feel lucky to have found this opportunity at this company for this leader… a great combination! A Future for JibberJobber JibberJobber was born almost twelve years ago. We have had over 100,000 people sign up and try to manage and organize a job search. We currently have five people (aside from me) with dedicated roles, including customer support, QA, server admin, and software development. I have been the product manager, and with this big change I started to transition many of my functions to Liz, who many users have already interacted with. I plan on spending time, regularly, with JibberJobber, as the Chief of Product. Liz will add product manager to her duties, and will work closely with me to ensure the team focuses on the right things for our users and our future. While my team will continue to stay busy, we’ll make sure the limited amount of time we have is spent on the most important projects. When I spent four years developing Pluralsight videos I spent a lot more time there than as product manager in JibberJobber. After Pluralsight I went back to JibberJobber with a renewed interest and was appalled at where we were at. I take all of that on me, as product manager. This time I will not make the same mistakes. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time with Liz talking about vision and priorities, and have met with each of my team, and I’m dedicated to making this a great time for JibberJobber, not a time of strategic neglect. I hope this is reflected in the product, and your experience. A Conclusion I’ve written a few more pages but really, this is too long already. If you have any questions, let me know. I’ll be available mornings and evenings, and hope to continue our relationship.

How to Choose a Resume Writing Service in Seattle

How to Choose a Resume Writing Service in SeattleIf you are searching for a resume writing service in Seattle, it is important to choose the one that can really write your document. In this article, I will share with you my thoughts about how you can pick a good one to use for your resume.The first step in hiring a professional resume writer is to do some research and look at different samples and services. Make sure to get your resume written by someone who is certified and well versed in professional resume writing. To make sure you have the best quality, look for references or testimonials from people who have had their work professionally prepared.After researching many writers and services, you should be able to come up with a list of potential candidates that you can interview to hire a professional resume writer. You should not hesitate to contact a few people so you can get to know them personally. One of the most important things when interviewing potential candidates is to get an interview in which you can ask the writer about their past experiences.You can ask them about the candidate's past experience and ask them to provide you with feedback and examples. Of course, you need to know what they were responsible for before. Also, you should ask them for their opinion on the type of resume that they want to present to you. Remember, a professional will not want to waste your time.When interviewing your potential candidate, you need to discuss the fees that you are willing to pay them and their rates with the potential candidate so you can compare the cost to other professional resume writing service Seattle has to offer. Your goal is to get the lowest rate possible.Another way to go about finding a qualified and trustworthy resume writer is to ask for referrals from former clients. Another good idea is to check out the BetterBusiness Bureau online rating of any Seattle resume writing service you are considering.Once you have a list of potential Seattle resume writing service to consider, you need to narrow down your search and begin contacting each service. Be sure to discuss the fee that you are willing to pay and ask them to provide you with examples and feedback from previous clients.Remember, not all writers are alike. When hiring a professional resume writer, it is important to find a service that you feel comfortable with and someone that will write your resume in a professional manner. This is one of the most important steps in completing your resume.

Babysitter drama in the opt-out arena

Babysitter drama in the opt-out arena I moved to Madison without knowing anyone here. So I found a babysitter through the University of Wisconsin graduate program in early education. The woman I found was great. But she said that she was really busy, and could her boyfriend babysit instead. I squashed all my sexist stereotypes of babysitters and asked for his qualifications. She said he has a law degree in Puerto Rico, where they are from, but he cant work here because he didnt pass the Wisconsin bar, and he doesnt want to study for it because theyll only be here two years. So he is looking for work. He has five younger siblings and he babysat them. I said okay. I did the normal routine stayed with him and the baby one day. Went out for a little the next. The third day I told him Id be at the coffee shop. Its the only store in our neighborhood, so I told him if he wants to go there, go when the baby is asleep so the baby doesnt see me and start crying for me. Sure enough, the babysitter shows up at the coffee shop at naptime. I say, Wheres the baby? He says, At home. AT HOME?!?!? So I sprint eight blocks home, imagining all the most terrible things a mom can imagine about a steep flight of stairs. I get home and the baby is asleep, on my bed, ten feet from an open stairway. The guy says, Im sorry. I say, You can just go. He says, I think it was a language problem. I just misunderstood you. I thought you told me to go to the coffee shop and leave the baby at home. This actually happened two months ago. I havent written about it because I was blaming myself. But really, this could happen to anyone. It does. My friend paid a chic-chic agency in the New York City area to find her a bonded, background-checked nanny. But she turned out to be anorexic and she fainted behind the wheel. My friend didnt know until the car was wrapped around a pole. (Everyone safe, thank goodness.) The difficulty of leaving a baby to go to work cannot be understated. And babysitting situations like this make it even more difficult. So weve now gone months with no babysitter, and my husband is about to kill me (because hes picking up a lot of the slack). So heres where the advice comes in, right? Where I tell you how to find a perfect babysitter or something. But there are no perfect babysitter situations. Its the nature of motherhood to be unsure of leaving. One thing I can tell you, though, is that this I am a part of the opt-out generation: I sprinted up corporate ladders and ran two startups of my own, and I dont want to do that now, when I have young kids. A press release from Lifetime Television just announced, Women in generation Y do not want to permanently drop out of the workforce. The assumption here, of course, is that the Generation X women me who are dropping out of corporate life today are going to abstain from all business for the next twenty years until all their kids are in college. If this were not the assumption, no one would bother with the Lifetime press release. Newsflash: The current opt-out phenomenon is not permanent. Leaving a baby with a sitter is very, very hard for the mother, (even if the sitter is not leaving the kids at home alone), and only moderately okay for the baby. Some moms can do it, some cant, most fall somewhere in between, like me. As the kids get older, the opt-out revolution is about opting out of the absurd and inflexible hours that corporate America is demanding right now. It is not opting out of all work that does not involve kids. In fact, the majority of small businesses are started by women for these very reasons. This is not about being stuck. This is about being true to our values. So finally, here is some advice: Understand that babysitter problems are not unique to you. They are part of a massive trend that is changing work and home. One bad babysitter doesnt mean you should give up on corporate life, and the crazy demands of corporate life dont mean that you should give up on work outside the home. We are all trying to find a compromise, and some of us are trying to find a sitter.

Videogames Writing Top Career Tips Part 2

Videogames Writing Top Career Tips Part 2 Ed Smith, a Warwick Film and Television Studies graduate, continues to offer his insight on developing a career in writing for the games industry. When to write for free Its absolutely vital to write for free at first. You need to do a lot of writing to improve your work, to demonstrate to potential employers that you have actually been published and you can work to deadlines. If a website is making money and your article is going to generate profit for the publication, do not write it for free. Write for free only if the publication is created for free and never pitch to a paying magazine or website saying youll work for free, even if you think itll get you an in. They dont like it. It undermines their work. How to graduate to paid work The best way to graduate to writing for money is to get an interview. A lot of game-makers are anonymous and under-appreciated, so theyre really flattered if you write to them asking for a chat. If youve played a game that youd like to do a feature on, best bet is to look on www.mobygames.com. Here youll find the entire cast and crew credits of most games ever made and once you get the name youre after (doing a feature on level design? Find the level designer. Something more general? Find the design lead) you can start looking these people up online. A lot of them are on Twitter or can be contacted via LinkedIn. Be polite, humble and deferential. Make it clear what youre writing about and why you want to talk to them specifically. Some will want to chat via email, others will agree to a call on Skype, in which case youll need to record the audio then transcribe it for yourself later. Either way, if you have an interview with a prominent game-maker then you have a leg up when it comes to pitching to paying sites (my first paid article came in 2012, when I wrote to the creator of Journey, out of the blue, and asked if I could speak with him). Remember the rules about pitching and make it clear why this interview is interesting and important. Also, its best to pitch after youve done the interview, or at least when you have a date set for the interview. It makes the pitch that bit more solid. Keep up the momentum Once youve had a couple of interview-led articles on paid sites, you should feel more comfortable pitching editorials or offering yourself for reviews. After that, its a case of keeping generating ideas and interviews, keeping pitching, keeping writing and constantly trying to drum up your own work and your own publicity. Its a lot to handle but if youre playing lots of different things and keeping up to date with whats coming out and what people are currently discussing, you can continually find interesting topics to cover.  Keep up with other critics Go to www.critical-distance.com for a weekly round-up of some of the best videogame criticism and reporting. Its great way to follow whos saying what, which articles have and havent already been written and which publications might be looking for new hires. Ultimately, writing is kind of about pot luck. You might have a great pitch that gets buried at the bottom of the editors email pile and never hear back. Conversely, you might just happen to have the right idea on the right day. Be original Aside from the practical pointers above and in my earlier blog post, the best advice I can give is to try and be original. Game criticism is still in its infancy and frankly, there isnt enough smart or engaging writing out there. If you have something substantive, informed and  engaging to write about games, this is a great time to get started. For more of Eds top tips read Videogames Writing â€" Top Career Tips Part 1.

Why Are Resume Writing Services So Bad?

Why Are Resume Writing Services So Bad?Did you know that companies such as Pure Opportunity know how good our resume writing services? Do you know that in many cases, the businesses that hire these services have suffered a large decline in productivity? So do you know why this is so? This article will discuss this issue.A resume has to be one of the first things that a potential employer will see. If he or she sees that you wrote an excellent resume, there's a very good chance that he or she will contact you and inquire about your current job or place of employment. It also gives him or her a very good idea about the kind of job you will have in the future.Let's say that a person decided to go into business with the goal of being a part-time employee at a grocery store, and they decided to post their job requirements on the internet. It turns out that a good number of people who were looking for part-time jobs also had posted what they're looking for, and all of them had noticed your job posting. Now, this is not something that's normal, and when you see this kind of thing happening, you should immediately start thinking that there's something wrong with resume writing services.In fact, if the business owner who hired them realized that they failed to do their job properly, the owner would probably call and tell them that their resume should be junked and they are not wanted in his or her company. Since it is your resume, and if they don't like it, you could be out of a job, it is your resume that you must focus on.You can't be confused about what's going on since the business owner knows that you're going to call him or her every time you get a job offer. After all, you're that person who helps the potential employee get that job. Therefore, the owner will be willing to overlook mistakes or to stop calling you if he or she feels that the resume was okay.But, when the person that you've already helped gets a job, how long do you think that resume will be on his or her desk? Imagine a manager getting hundreds of resumes a day for every position available, and then go into a meeting and finds that half of those resumes are trash and half of them look very good. The next time they go into a meeting, what will the manager say?'Oh, I get so many good looking resumes that it's too hard to choose one! Who did you get?'If you don't believe me, then look around your workplace right now. You'll see that at least some of your coworkers are being interviewed for job positions daily.

LinkedIn Should Help You Get a Better Resume Writing Service

LinkedIn Should Help You Get a Better Resume Writing ServiceA professional resume writing service can give you the boost that you need to get your job application in the search engine positions for college, university, and even medical professionals. By hiring an article writing company, you can be assured that you will receive a top quality resume.In recent years, the popularity of the written word has become a thing of the past. By going online and applying for a job is becoming more popular. This means that you need to generate business from the time you are young to the time you retire.A professional resume writer can help you make sure that you put in the proper amount of effort for your job application. When you apply for a job, there are a lot of different things that you can do. You can sell yourself on your resume.An important point to consider is the marketing of yourself. If you have a social media profile, then you should be able to build it with keywords that are appropr iate for your industry. The same goes for LinkedIn. They may be able to help you increase your visibility.Once you have the knowledge on how to make your resume better, you need to make sure that you get the best quality service that you can get. A resume writing service should not make you sign a contract. At the end of the day, you want to choose a company that can help you come up with a job. Hiring an individual is not always the best option for someone who is looking for a resume writer.Services on LinkedIn should ensure that you have updated information on their profile. You want to ensure that you have made yourself easy to find when they are looking for a new employee.In many ways, the individuals that are reading your profile will make a good number of contacts to help them learn more about you. By taking the time to use the services of a resume writing service, you can ensure that you can send out a resume in a timely manner.If you are not careful about who you allow to re ad your LinkedIn profile, it can be detrimental to you in the eyes of your potential employers. You need to take the time to select a good resume writing service that can help you learn more about you and your potential employer.

How To Write An Executive Resume That Gets Results

How To Write An Executive Resume That Gets Results How To Write An Executive Resume That Gets Results Job Search / Resume Writing Over the years I’ve looked at a lot of resumes. Some are dreadful. Those that are not as bad need work to get a recruiter’s attention. Particularly, once you reach the executive level. While the resumes are lacking in different ways, they all have some combination of the same problems. Weak Content Boring task-focused bullets (managed teams, developed new markets, etc.) or tons of metrics (reached 110% of quota, generated $8M revenue) with no story. Bad Formatting Too much or too little white space, usually too little. Poor font choices, namely Times New Roman which is never used by professional resume writers. ATS Incompatible Text boxes filled with important information. Name and contact information in the Header. While crafting a persuasive, eye-catching resume takes strategy, there are some basics techniques you can implement that will greatly improve the DIY resume you’re currently using. The 3 things you must focus on are compelling content, clean formatting, and compatibility with the ATS. Compelling Content Most resumes fall into 1 of 2 categories: boring lists of duties or tons of numbers with no story. Talking about what you do on a day to day basis impresses no one. Big numbers with no context don’t impress either. Employers want to know what you achieved (the metrics) and how you did it (the story). So make sure you have both. Use the Challenge, Action, Result formula that I use with my clients. Challenge â€" what was the problem, impetus, issue, etc. Action â€" what you did, if you’re on a team say that but include the value you brought to the team. Result â€" the metrics that quantify your achievement, generally these are revenue generated, money saved, time saved, clients signed, etc. Clean Format Resumes that strain the reader’s eyes don’t get read. Poorly formatted resumes often have tiny margins, no space between bullets, large blocks of text. Another killer is poor font choice with the biggest offender being Times New Roman. Although tiny font, 10pt or occasionally 9pt, which is nearly impossible to read. Margins should be no less than .5. Stick with sans serif fonts like Arial, Calibri, etc. for the body. Accent by using more unusual fonts like Georgia, Tahoma, etc. for headings. Make sure there is additional white space, add some between paragraphs, bullets, and sections. Add in a little color for impact. ATS Compatible Most companies with more than 50 employees use some type of applicant tracking software. While it’s not a good idea to try and “game” the system, you do want your resume to be compatible with them. Even executives who network their way into companies may find their resume put into an ATS system. 3 Don’ts Don’t put your name and contact information in the document header as ATS systems don’t see it. I see this more often than you would think. Don’t put your skills section in text boxes, these also are not read by the ATS. Don’t put your sales, revenue generated, etc. in a chart without including the same information in the body of the resume because ATS won’t read that either. While it’s easy to get hung up the ATS, don’t. You need to write for the human reader as well. Compelling content delivered a clean, modern format is the best way to get the attention of recruiters and employers.

This is not a come as you are job market -

This is not a come as you are job market - Have you heard? Peter Weddle, CEO of Weddles, commented at last weeks Career Management Alliance that this is not a come as you are job market. He explained: There are four job seekers for every job. Companies are experiencing a reduction in structure. Less jobs will be recoveredWeddle is expecting a profound change in the market going forward, with a much leaner and meaner job market. So, what does this mean for you? Is it time to pack it all in and give it up? No, of course not! I believe that everyone has the choice regarding how to navigate his or her own career or job search. If you drive your own career bus, you can excel, even in a tough market. However, you cant just come as you are, as Weddle noted. In the old days, all anyone needed to do to find a job is make a few calls or apply for enough jobs. With competition fierce and opportunities scarce, you need to do more. You need to work on your career every day! Weddle described the career jungle gym that is replacing the old career ladder. He says that career advancement isnt always about following the rungs of a ladder in one direction; it can mean moving sideways as long as you keep your eye on your goal! Stay tuned for more thoughts from Peter Weddles presentation and suggestions to help you improve your career fitness. Please share your thoughts in the comments section! Are you coming as you are to your job hunt? Dont make a mistake that will cost your time, money and sanity. I can help contact me to discuss how! photo by mcmorr