How To Make a Mistake in Public and Come Out Smelling Like Roses

How To Make a Mistake in Public and Come Out Smelling Like Roses 2 Two days ago, Loà ¯c LeMeur responded in much depth to the stinging criticism of him regarding the LeWeb3 and his surprise inclusion of French politicians.So if you're going to make a mistake in public and want everyone to know about it while you come out smelling like roses, this is the way to do it: Gather a group of outspoken colleagues who trust you Flatter them incessantly Slap them, hard, with many people watching Make a half-hearted apology While people react violently, say you have no regrets Watch from the sidelines while your friends come to the rescue Finally, own up to everything, even to mistakes that you didn't make That's a very cynical view of the past week, and frankly it's what many people believed until Loà ¯c followed Robert Scoble's good advice and explained his perspective in great detail. To his credit, it's a very complete post and it does clear out many if not all of the conspiratorial breadcrumbs about surprises and who got who fired. Actually, his response is so long, it's possible that he was spending all his time composing it while the storm worsened and people wondered when he would finally speak up. In fact, as Ewan McIntosh nicely points out, Loà ¯c could have followed his own advice on avoiding just this kind of difficult situation.

Focus on Whats Next - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Focus on Whats Next - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Last week, at the World Innovation Forum, the words of one speaker really stuck with me. I dont care about best practices, said CK Pralahad, author of The New Age of Innovation. Im much more interested in next practices. By best practices, Pralahad was referring to the management practice of trying to squeeze every little drop of value out of every aspect of a company.   Usually this is done by using programs like Six Sigma that force employees to evaluate the potential ROI of every venture before starting it. What makes them improve hurts in the long run Unfortunately, when a company gives all their focus to best practices, they actually set themselves up for failure in the future. Why?   Because the very thing that makes them improve (intense internal focus) is what hurts them in the long run. As an example of how easily this happens, try watching the video below.   Your task is to count exactly how many times the people in white pass the ball to each other. Ignore the passes made by people in black t-shirts and make sure you count carefully! Sometimes the passes are hard to see. Some of you may have seen this video before, but if you havent, you might have been surprised by the ending. In my case, I definitely was shocked after the first time I saw that clip! I devoted every ounce of attention to make sure I counted perfectly and I did.     However, my iron-clad focus caused me to totally miss what was happening around the people passing the ball. This is why Pralahad emphasized that companies shouldnt concentrate only on best practices because markets can change very quickly, and a company that has spent all its effort perfecting current processes often misses seeing unexpected opportunities. If companies want to be successful, he told us, they need to focus instead on next practices which means staying flexible and always on the look-out for new opportunities. In my opinion, this applies to people doing personal branding as well.   If you focus solely on becoming the best at your current position, you will probably do quite well until the world changes around you. Your company could run into tough times and need to lay off workers. Or they could discover that its cheaper (and faster) to outsource your job to the other side of the world. Or, a new technology could come to market and make your skills obsolete. Whatever the reason, if you focus only on being the best at what you already do, theres a chance you could find yourself on the market with no one interested in buying. Thats why you need to focus at least part of your personal branding efforts on whats next. By that, I dont mean you should be constantly switching up what you do.   This wont help you at all!   No one wants to hire someone who is moderately good at everything when there are specialists out there. What you should do, however, is keep your eyes open for new opportunities that sync well with your skills and brand.   That means if you see that your industry is trending towards a certain direction, you should figure out how you can take advantage of the switch. During his speech, Pralahad mentioned that for a company to succeed in looking for next practices in a fast-changing market, the company needs to be both clear on strategy and agile. Know where you want to go with a flexible strategy For personal branders, that means knowing where you want to go, but with a flexible strategy that can respond quickly if needed.   And it means looking for new technology and techniques that you can use to enhance your brand. It also means not setting your path to success in stone because detours are practically guaranteed in the fast-changing business world of today. So, as we learned at the World Innovation Forum, dont stake your future on becoming the absolute best at the role youre in today.   Get as good as you can without losing sight of the new opportunities springing up around you! Author: Katie Konrath writes about “ideas so fresh… they should be slapped” at getFreshMinds.com, a top innovation blog.

Ocean Breeze - Premium Resume Package

Ocean Breeze - Premium Resume Package Ocean Breeze Premium Resume Package Welcome to the brand new Premium Resume Template Package series! We have got something very special for you. A whole new batch of outstanding resume templates built with clean designs on a flexible framework, and much more besides!We are pleased to offer you our Ocean Breeze Package the first in a new and exclusively designed premium template pack for our customers. Our creative team have put together a professional resume pack that offers you everything you will need to present your skills to your next potential employer.Each premium resume pack includes:A professionally designed and striking resume template in Word format (US letter size)A matching cover letter in Word format to go with your resumeA job interview tracker in print-ready PDF format Buy Now $14Our Ocean Breeze Resume Package offers an innovative and clean look that will complete your next resume submission with great style. It includes all the sections you will need to create and deliver all of your key information at first glance. The design gently guides the eye down the page and highlights each section clearly for easy reading.The matching cover letter template has all sections you need to introduce your resume as well as round off your application and together they act as a great showcase for all of your skills.Our inclusion of a job interview tracker will enable you to keep an easy visual record of your job application progress. You simply add your relevant information onto the sheet to keep track of the jobs you have applied for, important dates and contact details. This can help you see at a glance when your next interview is scheduled for and who is going to interview you etc. A very handy memory jogger and invaluable tool for your job search activities!You can save your resume template and cover letter in Word and it will always be there ready for you to edit and amend should you need to tweak it again in future while applying for different jobs or adding new skills, qualifications o r work experience. Nothing could be simpler! Buy your resume template today.Get this resume set  along with 9 others at  a tiny price: previous article Good Interview Techniques and Tips for your next Job Interview next article Premium Resume Package Earthy Tones you might also likeSmart Portfolio Complete Resume Pack

5 Worthwhile New Years Resolutions That You Can Keep!

5 Worthwhile New Year’s Resolutions That You Can Keep! We’ve all been there. It’s January, and you want to commit to that resolution. But deep down you know the truth: you’ll never stick it out. Whatever New Year traditions would have you believe, self-improvement is a gradual process. A little at a time is better than nothing, and a lot of little things sure beats one failed promise. Here are our favourite easy-to-keep, maximum impact tweaks  for every area of your life. Health People who look after their health enjoy better mental health, stronger immune systems and improved  overall happiness. And you don’t have to go to the gym every morning to get in better shape. Instead, make a few simple changes. Drink lemon water each morning, before breakfast. It provides a kick-start for your metabolism, along with numerous other benefits. Use cinnamon to sweeten tea and coffee, instead of sugar. Get off the tube or bus a stop early on your commute. Walk the rest of the way. Stand up and walk around the office once an hour, thus combatting circulation and static lifestyle problems. Take the stairs. Pick any of the above, or all. Commit and reap the rewards. TAKE IT FURTHER: Add a short morning workout to your day. Pick five bodyweight exercises â€" e.g. push-up, squat, crunch, burpee and plank. Every morning, before anything else, perform a minute of each. This five-minute workout will kick-start your metabolism, wake you up, improve your mood and, over time, improve your physicality. Mentality Feeling stressed, overworked or under-appreciated? In this modern world, it’s easy to forget the things we should be grateful for, or even feel jealous of those we perceive as doing better. But if you have a bed, some form of family, a source of food, a job, an education and personal freedom, you’re already doing better than hundreds of millions of humans worldwide. Don’t compare yourself to others. You don’t know the daily woes that other people deal with and never will. Instead, concentrate on the things you can be grateful for. Make a resolution that, every time you begin to dwell on a perceived personal failure or injustice, you’ll replace it with something you’re grateful for instead. Studies show that people who practise gratitude are less envious, less materialistic and even get more sleep. So don’t take your fortunes for granted; learn to see what’s in front of you, and treasure what’s most important. TAKE IT FURTHER: Keep a gratitude diary. Every day, before you go to bed, write down three good things from that day for which  you are grateful. This three-minute practice could have significant positive effects on not only your personal happiness but your career and relationships too.  Money December can be a traumatising month, especially when the New Year rolls around and you finally peek at that bank account. Cutting back your expenditure is a failsafe way to conserve funds. But for a more long-term strategy, make this year the one that you start saving. It could be £50 a month or £500. Just make sure that, as soon as that pay cheque comes in, you transfer a set amount to a separate savings account. Before you know it, you’ll have a nice little cushion building. And believe us, you’ll need that nest egg some day. TAKE IT FURTHER: Invest. I know â€" the very word is enough to make you shiver. But there are plenty of online services which will be happy to do all the hard work for you, if you’ll only let them. Nutmeg caters for sums of all sizes, maximising your gains via a set risk factor and period. Although a certain amount of risk is inherent in all investments, chances are you’ll come out with more than you started.  Career Stuck in a career rut? Hoping to make big gains this year? It’s all about taking it one step at a time. Whether you’re trying to move your career onwards or just to get better at what you’re already doing, resolve to do one thing every day to benefit your professional life. It could be emailing that contact at your dream company, or listening to an educational podcast. You can work it into your commute, or get it done in a lunch hour â€" whatever. Just keep yourself improving. TAKE IT FURTHER: Begin cultivating your professional network in earnest. Attend one event a month, pick up contacts and follow up via email within a few days of meeting. Try out the 44 challenge! Stick with it and voila: this time next year, you’ll have a powerhouse of new contacts, ripe for that career shift.  Responsibility We could all be a bit more conscientious in the way we live our lives. As a species, we have a duty to act in a socially responsible manner, whether it’s conserving energy or getting that recycling onto the kerb on time. One of the greatest battles in the modern population is between meat-eaters and vegetarians. Livestock and the meat industry account for up to 50% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Even ignoring the ethical, social and health implications of our meat obsession, you have to admit that’s a convincing number. “But… bacon!” is not an argument. If you value your planet and the future of the human race, you will slash your meat consumption. Choose one day a week to go meat-free. Who knows â€" if all  goes well, you might even progress to two or three. TAKE IT FURTHER: Take it all the way. Don’t cut yourself any more slack. Go vegetarian today, and feel safe in the knowledge that you are doing something tangible for your planet and your people. Inspiring Interns is a  graduate recruitment  agency  specialising in  internships  and the many  graduate jobs London  has to offer. . Image credits. Main.  Gratitude.    Networking.  

Top 5 Questions to Ask Before Applying for The Position CareerMetis.com

Top 5 Questions to Ask Before Applying for The Position â€" CareerMetis.com Building your career is already an arduous and long process.Filling out long application forms, completing psychometric tests and skills test, even crafting individual resumes and cover letters all turn the process of finding a job into a full-time job.evalHowever, there are ways that you can cut down on the number of hours you spend applying and increase your chances of getting called back. By looking at yourself and opportunities you choose to pursue critically you can skip the ones that are less likely to be a good fit and focus on the more promising prospects.The following are the top five questions you should ask yourself before submitting an application.1) Will this position get me to where I want to go?evalWe all know stories of people who took jobs that they swore they would only work “until I find something better.” Several years go by and “better” never shows up and now they are stuck in a career they hate because it pays the bills.A new job isn’t just a compensat ion and benefits package; it should be a stepping stone to where you want to be in life. Before applying, consider how this position fits into your career plan. If you don’t have one, now is the time to write one.2) What do I know about this company?Things like the company’s employee turnover rate, position in the industry, and employee promotion practices are all very important things to consider. Companies that seem to always be hiring for all but the most senior managerial positions are companies that have little room to grow, inadequate compensation, or poor management.Any combination of these factors can be disastrous for your career. Some of the world’s largest brands suffer from this problem, and although their business model continues to allow them to thrive, labor relations problems are a way of life for them.3) What are the trade-offs?Maybe your dream job is an hour-long commute each way. Maybe the long hours and frequent business trips will keep you away from your f amily. There is no such thing as the perfect job, but you must decide if the things that you must give up are worth what you hope to gain.evalIf being able to spend lots of quality time with your growing family is a priority for you, it’s safe to assume that a position that requires fifty or sixty-hour work weeks isn’t a good fit.If the salary offered is less than what you expected but the experience is invaluable, it may be worth the pay cut. Whatever the circumstances, be prepared to accept the realities of the situation, because you may not be able to negotiate them later on.Photo Credit â€" Flickr.com4) Am I what they are looking for?Quantifying your own experience can be hard. You must be keenly aware of your strengths, weaknesses, competencies, and skills. Take stock of what it is that you bring to the table and then read the qualifications for the positions again.If they say you need an MBA and six years of experience, you may get your foot in the door with a Master’s i n a similar subject and a few extra years of commiserate experience. But you won’t get your foot in the door if your only experience is as an intern is a lesser-known firm. Discover what is unique about you. What combination of skills and strengths do you offer that nobody else can?eval5) Is this the kind of environment I want to work in?evalOf the hours you spend awake, nearly a third will be spent at work. This percentage can increase if you work a lot of overtime, work for yourself, or have multiple jobs. Since work is such a large part of your life it’s in your best interest to avoid cubicle hell. Take a look at the company’s corporate culture.If you prefer a less structured, more open environment, then it makes no sense to apply to companies with rigid hierarchies and a very formal structure. It’s not just about finding a job, it’s about finding an environment that is right for you.

The Profound Impact of Who We Meet and How They Define Us - Pathfinder Careers

The Profound Impact of Who We Meet and How They Define Us - Pathfinder Careers The Profound Impact of Who We Meet and How They Define Us This isn’t one of those blog posts praising the benefits of business networking. Nope. Instead, this one is personal. Yesterday, I got word that a friend passed away.   News like this always is very saddening, but peel this back one more layer and underneath, a life-defining story is revealed. I met this person at a business conference.   We had traveled separately as representatives in the tourism industry to the world’s largest travel tradeshow, World Travel Market.   Our lives connected as the Oregon delegation shared a booth at this show, and I was there promoting the Portland Oregon Visitors Association.   She was an elder from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation and attending on behalf of the  Tamástslikt  Cultural Institute on the reservation. If you’ve ever attended a tradeshow, you know that there is a constant flurry of business going on, but then there are those long gaps in between where things quiet down. That’s when Cecelia Bearchum and I got to know each other. Normally, most of us are so busy most of the time that when we meet someone with whom we have a connection, it is a fleeting moment.   Then our lives propel us forward and we fail to invest the energy into cultivating this new friendship. When we do take the time,  what we gain  can be immeasurable and incredibly rewarding. I am incredibly grateful that Cecelia and I made the effort. During the pauses in the trade show in London, we sat together and shared stories. Laughed a lot. Discussed issues.   A bond formed. Later, enroute to a reception that our delegation was hosting, despite the fact that Cecelia was in full tribal regalia and in her mid-70’s, no cab would take us the short distance because of the fare, so we were forced to walk the 13 blocks to the event location. I remember being as concerned for her as I would have been for an elderly family member in the same situation, staying by her side, helping her over the big curbs, and holding her arm as we went over uneven cobblestones. When we returned home and settled back into our lives at opposite ends of the state, I was very surprised to receive a package several weeks later.   Inside was a beaded keychain with a Native American design with my name on it. It was from Cecelia. I was deeply touched.   This was no ordinary keychain- it was one that had been handcrafted and personalized.   It was intimate.   Cecelia later told me that she had specifically picked out the colors used as she felt that they matched my spirit. What Cecelia taught me in that moment is that when we take the time to build friendships, it becomes a moving experience. We each impact the other, and this can teach us important lessons about the other person as well as ourselves. With Cecelia, I got re-schooled in respect for elders and also opened my heart to be more generous, giving back whenever I can… when others least expect it.   I’ve become a better person because of it. Since then, we have kept in touch through letters  and cards, and I was able to visit her  when I was in Eastern Oregon. The lesson here is that in our mad dash to make connections that help us in our careers, it’s not often that we meet people like her in our lives who act as spiritual and moral guide posts that remind us of who we are and what we  COULD be. Maybe it’s because we aren’t taking the time to let them in. Maybe  we need to make that time you never know where that can lead. Personally, I can definitely say I am a better person because I met Cecelia. And about that keychain… since receiving it, it’s been in daily use and never been taken off the key ring.   It’s a little worn, but is a daily reminder of her generosity and how I can be a better me.

Writing an Australian Resume

Writing an Australian ResumeYou might be wondering what it takes to write an Australian resume, when you may not even have a formal education. To better understand the basics of writing an Australian resume, read on!When it comes to writing an Australian resume, many are either intimidated or too lazy to actually do so. In the end, you will find that many would-be job seekers choose to try to look as natural as possible in order to seem more friendly and approachable. Unfortunately, this does not mean you have to come across as stiff or overly formal.If you're looking for a job, you would want to make sure you put your best foot forward in order to stand out from the crowd. The way you present yourself, your professional skills, and even your personal qualities will play a large role in how successful you can be in the workplace. For example, if you're looking for a job as a medical secretary, it is recommended that you present yourself as professional, friendly, and outgoing. If you present yourself as shy, cold, and nervous, chances are the employer will not hire you.Writing an Australian resume does not have to be difficult if you're willing to put in the time to learn the proper methods. The first thing you should do when writing one is to determine exactly what type of job you are seeking. What kind of education, work experience, or skills will you need?Now that you know what you're looking for, the next step to writing an Australian resume is to go back to school, or look into obtaining new professional skills. While you are taking this important step in order to move up the corporate ladder, you should also give yourself some time to do so. The reason for this is that an educational background is usually one of the first things employers will see when reviewing resumes.Therefore, it's crucial that you take the time to learn the most recent academic advancements and be able to provide the information that will be most helpful to the potential employer. Fo r example, if you're seeking a job as a medical secretary, chances are you'll be required to learn the medical lingo and speak the language of the medical field.In addition to this, you'll also need to learn how to be more approachable and polite, especially if you plan on approaching your potential employer. By showing professionalism, you're able to earn the respect of your prospective employer.Once you've looked through your work experience and learned about your current educational situation, you can begin thinking about your professional strengths and abilities. The first step in writing an Australian resume is to figure out what it is you would like to present to your potential employer, then write it down and discuss with the person that will ultimately be reviewing your resume.