What are the Top 10 Words NOT to Use on Your LinkedIn Profile

What are the Top 10 Words NOT to Use on Your LinkedIn Profile Each year, LinkedIn release their top 10 overused buzzwords on LinkedIn profiles. In 2012, the most used word was creative as it was in 2011. In 2013, theres a new winner responsible. Here are the rest of the results from 2013 courtesy of LinkedIn themselves: Top 10 overused buzzwords on LinkedIn profiles 2013: Responsible Strategic Creative Effective Patient Expert Organizational Driven Innovative Analytical Top overused buzzwords worldwide: Responsible and strategic were found in the top 3 in every country surveyed. You can view the full infographic from LinkedIn below:

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese 2 Big Myths About Work You Need to Ditch

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese 2 Big Myths About Work You Need to Ditch When I was writing my last book, one of the things I focused on was that the world of work was different than the world outside of work. OK, this isn't exactly an outstanding revelation to many of you, but to lots of people, it is.When people are at work, they think it's sort of an extended living room. They believe that they can say and do anything they want, because, by golly, this is America. Home of free speech, independent living and 450 cable channels.But the truth is, when you go to work you sign an employment contract, and that gives the employer the right to expect certain things from you. If you don't follow the rules, it can mean you are disciplined, fired or perhaps even criminally prosecuted.I recently interviewed an employment law expert, who pointed out there are a lot of myths that employees believe, including the one that they can say what they want at work. But even more interesting are the things that can get you into trouble, even when you're trying to be a team p layer and help out an employer. Here's the story I did for my Gannett column:You may believe that all those extra hours youre putting in on the job without being paid will help you stay in the bosss good graces, but you may not realize that youre breaking the law and you could be fired for it.Shanti Atkins, a lawyer and president and CEO of San Francisco-based ELT Inc., which specializes in ethics and workplace compliance training, says that showing youre dedicated by volunteering your time is a mistake.A lot of people are worried about their jobs, and they want to contribute in this recession by working off the clock. But 90 percent of people and their managers dont realize theyre not complying with federal wage and hour laws and its a huge huge area of risk for companies, Atkins says.Atkins says class action lawsuits related to wage and hour claims outnumber all other class action lawsuits combined. The average federal settlement for these wage and lawsuits? About $23.5 milli on. State settlements are a little more at $24.4 million, she says.These are bet the company lawsuits, she says. Theyre very cut and dried. Did you pay someone overtime for the extra work they did or not? Records show very clearly what happened.Atkins says employees should refuse any nudge, nudge, wink, wink requests from managers that they work extra time without pay, and the manager should be reported for asking them to do it, because under the law, an employee can be disciplined or fired for not reporting it, Atkins says.Atkins says this is just one example of employees being unfamiliar with their rights and responsibilities in the workplace. Others include: Speaking your mind. While freedom of speech is guaranteed by the First Amendment, what you say around the workplace water cooler can cost you your job. For example, if you create a management problem by making statements that could be considered harassing or discriminatory, you may be setting the groundwork for a pink slip.A real lightening rod in this area is when sexual orientation intersects with religion, such as someone saying at work that its a sin to have a gay lifestyle, Atkins says. Or, they try and pray for another employee to convince them of the error of their ways. Or, they refuse to go to sexual harassment training because they disagree with whats said about sexual orientation.While employees may balk at a Big Brother atmosphere that monitors what they say on the job, Atkins says bosses are obligated under federal law to make sure they provide a safe environment for workers free of harassment or discrimination. That includes, she says, anything introduced into the work environment with personal handheld devices such as smart phones, which can show videos or photos.Just because its your iPhone doesnt mean its OK to show a racist video in the break room, she says. Social networking. More employees and managers friend one another these days on Facebook or follow one another on Twitter. The problem is that this exposes managers to information they might not normally have, Atkins says.Employers arent supposed to know about an employees sex, religion or politics, but the employee forgets about the boss now having access to the information (through social networking), Atkins says.For example, a boss may be considering termination of an employee for performance reasons. But because of Twitter or Facebook, right before that termination the boss finds out that the employee has health problems or reveals his or her sexual orientation. Thats when social networking can become a real problem for companies and may result in a lawsuit, Atkins says.Discrimination cases are based on what managers knew, Atkins says. Social networking reveals an awful lot.Atkins says even LinkedIn, which is considered the professional online networking site, could get managers in trouble because of the feature that allows you to recommend someone.Ninety-nine percent of companies have a policy that say s you cant give a letter of recommendation for an employee because its a liability and a risk if the employee doesnt work out for the other employer, Atkins says. But if you recommend someone on LinkedIn, youve just published one.Social Bookmarking

Your Replay Communication Strategies for Female Leaders

Your Replay Communication Strategies for Female Leaders After many requests, I have decided to make the recording available from my webinar last week. Heres the link to access the recording: The Top 3 Ways to Communicate More Effectively For Female Leaders (Replay will be posted through Friday night at midnight Pacific!) Wow, we got incredible feedback from the hundreds of you enrolled in the webinar… And I had SO much fun sharing with my experiences, stories and advice on helping you communicate for increased success in the workplace!  I can’t wait to see who is first to email me and tell me that their work relationships have improved as a result of the action plan I shared! Here’s some of the feedback… Anna taught masterful tools on how to avoid miscommunication with the men on your team. -Ava Thank you Anna! Your call is very empowering and truly uplifting. -Katie Something to know about so you don’t miss out: Annas 6-Month Female Leadership Academy for Ambitious Professional Women starts in March. This group coaching program will teach you to: Lean into your female influence with integrity and develop a leader’s attitude Escalate your female leadership strengths, gain confidence and understand your leadership style Avoid time management, organizational and employee stresses with delegation and self-discipline Demystify working with men, managing men and negotiating with men Enhance your communication techniques and coach a winning team Re-assemble your tribe and create your future leadership strategy and vision If you register by January 31st, you’ll also get a private coaching call with a Gallup Strengths Coach.  And if you are one of the first 5 to invest, you will receive a private coaching call with Anna Runyan  while there are spots available â€" we’re over half sold out.  (A $250 value!) I created this program especially for ambitious professional women who are currently working in a career but are wondering what that next move is and those of you who are ready to make your leadership career bigger and better so you dont stay stagnant. And, those who want to build more confidence for their future career moves and move away from stress, anxiety and worry. Heres the link to check it out sign up: CLICK HERE Email us if you have ANY questions! -Anna PSâ€"The Female Leadership Academy tools have already helped hundreds of ambitious professional women take their leadership career to the next level… and you can do the same.   Let this be the year you take on greater roles and excel as you advance in your career.  Join us for the $500 discount through Friday.  CLICK HERE

Re-Position Your Thoughts on Networking

Re-Position Your Thoughts on Networking Even if you’re an extrovert, the term “networking” can make you anxious.   It may be hard for you to meet new people or reconnect with those you haven’t seen for a while.   If you’re unemployed, your confidence may be low; you may hate the idea of being in the position of asking for help instead of being able to offer it. Donna Fisher, author of Power Networking, says that you can re-position your attitude toward networking.   She cautions against the “Lone Ranger” mentality: that you should do everything well, know everything you need to know, and never need anyone’s help.  Fisher suggests that you replace this independent theory with the idea that together, people can accomplish more than they can apart.   With that in mind, networking becomes a smarter way to approach business. To get started with this new mindset, Fisher suggests you think of all the interdependence aspects of your accomplishments.   She writes, “No matter what it took you to achieve some accomplishment, other people were involved.” For instance, she goes on, “…let’s say that one of your accomplishments is having run a marathon. Certainly you were the one who had to train and run those 26 miles.   But how many others made the event possible?” Thinking about how everyone contributes to everyone’s success will help you get over an aversion to asking for meetings or asking for help.   Don’t decide for other people that “they probably don’t have time to meet with me” or that “they wouldn’t want to…” Fisher encourages you to ask and let them decide for themselves. She also gives these suggestions for making it easy to give you some time: Allow them to make decisions about time Respect their time by being efficient and effective with your requests Call on people in a way that honors their time Fisher says that when you ask for people’s help, you’re actually honoring their expertise and experience.   You also prove that you’re smart enough and open enough to new ideas to look for help.

Do You Need a Resume For Freelance Writing?

Do You Need a Resume For Freelance Writing?If you want to find out if you need a resume for freelance writing, the answer is probably yes. You can save time and effort, get better offers and potentially earn more money by having one.There are several things that you should consider when you are creating a resume for freelance writing. The first thing you need to consider is that it should be on an online platform. This is so you can use the website in place of traditional document formats.Since it is a freelance platform, there is no requirement to submit one with full details about your previous experience or what you have written for hire. However, you should still put something about yourself in your cover letter. This will help employers see you as someone who has an interest in their business.This is because you might need to submit the same information in the future - or the address books of clients. This will also prove that you have an extensive knowledge of what you write. M ost often, employers look for recommendations and previous clients. By giving this information, you can also present yourself as someone who knows what they are doing.Since you are getting a job from these people, it is important that you demonstrate that you are capable of doing the job well. This is what employers look for and this is what you need to demonstrate. A job applicant needs to show that they are confident in their abilities and are willing to do the job.Personal qualities need to be there as well. They include your work history, educational background, skills, references and other things that may be relevant. They may all appear small but when combined, make a big impact on your professional portfolio.When you need to find out if you need a resume for freelance writing, you can check if the company is reliable. Check the proofreading, feedback and helpfulness of the company. This will give you the right idea about how good or bad the company is.Getting a resume for fre elance writing is not easy. You should ensure that you have done all the steps that are mentioned above to ensure that you do not waste your time.

Send Off Your College Student with This Advice

Send Off Your College Student with This Advice It is that time of year again. The hordes of excited freshman head off to college with anticipation and perhaps a bit of fear. And lets not forget the returning college students who will be diving deeper into their majors and areas of concentration. Besides the conventional wisdom parents normally provide, please allow me to urge you share these seven points with them! Inventory and document summer work experience and skills Add valuable connections to your network Learn about life from professors Get a job Pack in extracurricular activities Hang with alumni Meet the rents For the full story behind each of these important seven recommendations, please visit my post on US News 7 Ways College Students Can Gain an Edge on the Job Hunt Heres why these points are critical. College students are graduating with incredible debt. They must get work quickly after graduating. Having a solid portfolio of experience (besides just classroom study) and having strong personal connections to the working world, will greatly increase their odds of securing employment. Hiring is on the rise and unemployment right now for college graduates is only 3.9%.   This doesnt mean finding a job out fresh out of college will be easy. Lets provide them with all the tools and resources necessary to succeed!

Top 5 Job Search Killers To Avoid - Pathfinder Careers

Top 5 Job Search Killers To Avoid - Pathfinder Careers Top 5 Job Search Killers To Avoid Over  the past few days, I’ve been contacted by a number of acquaintances looking for help in their job searches. Each of them is understandably distraught and desperate… it’s awful out there, and looking for work is an ego-bashing experience, especially when mortgages and bills are due. It’s very  clear how terror can set in when not having a job could mean  losing everything and ending out on the street. However, all of these panicky inquiries made to me  have been totally unspecific on what they are looking for, and it’s been frustrating to me because I want to help but can’t, due to their vagueness. I simply don’t keep a running tab of jobs that are open…no one does except a job board or Web site. The good news is that  that most people really want to help friends, colleagues, and family members who are out of work, and how they can help is by connecting the job seeker to the people who control the jobs. But sending out an APB for any type of job isn’t an effective way to ask for help. Job seekers can’t expect their network to magically pull a job out of a hat… this requires cultivating contacts and being specific in what it is that you’re looking for so friends and contacts can act on specifics. If you are in the middle of a job search, here are some critical missteps to avoid killing any help that someone might be able to offer you: 1) Don’t send out a general broadcast asking about any job openings… with no focus. This is so awkward simply because people want to help the job seeker, but can’t. When a person says that they’ll do anything… from building rockets to washing cars, that’s just too broad a range. You need to be tightly focused on a specific area or a particular job so people know what to look for on your behalf. “Any job” isn’t effective and serves to cripple any help someone might offer to you in the job search â€" we simply don’t know what to look for to help you out, so we end up doing nothing. That  alone can squelch any kind of assistance we might be able to offer. 2) If you have a specific job target, make sure you are qualified for it. Before your career cheerleaders  can go onto LinkedIn or make calls  to start the whole introduction process, they need to understand and see how the candidate’s career assets directly connect to the person  they  are contacting on the job seekers  behalf. Straight up from my perspective:  I am not going to put my reputation on the line by trying to open doors for a candidate who, in the long run, isn’t directly qualified. It makes me look bad by trying to pull strings when I really shouldn’t be, and the candidate looks bad by overreaching their bounds or grasping at straws. The Wall Street Journal had an article earlier this spring which reported that while you might be 80% qualified for a job, the person who is getting it is 110% qualified. Make sure you fit the job… don’t start playing the ‘just in case’ game… it’s not effective for you or the person trying to aid your job search. 3) Don’t think in terms of jobs; instead, think of people and relationships leading to those jobs. People sometimes get so focused on the job that they forget that there are people who can help pave the way to the job. You need to ask yourself, “Who do I know who is connected to this company or job?” and build your road towards that position by cultivating and nurturing a relationship with the people who can provide access to those jobs. Then: 4) Don’t forget to thank those who do  help you. No one likes to be clambered over, used, and then dropped suddenly, never heard from again. For example, I’ve gone to bat for several people who have been in dire need of assistance, and with the exception of one person, each and every one of those folks have sent thank you notes acknowledging the effort I put forth on their behalf. I didn’t expect their gratitude; but the one person from whom I have not heard back gave me a loud and clear message: I used you to get what I needed and you don’t matter to me anymore. No one likes to be used  Love em and leave em  shouldnt apply to your career relationships either. 5) Finally, don’t  let on or show  how desperate you are. No matter how bad things are, you have to keep your dignity. Begging means you have crossed a dangerous threshold where you have lost perspective of your value. Keep your composure.   Looking for a job is like playing poker, and that means keeping your poker face on at all times.   Anything that is not relevant to the job search should be checked outside the door to avoid tipping your hand to whats going on in your personal life.   Employers know that it is bad out there they see the hundreds of applications pouring in.   But if you drop your guard and start pleading your case, that could send the wrong message. Keep these tips in mind to stay on course and engage your contacts on your behalf.   And once you find your next position, Pay it Forward remember to help someone else out who was once in your shoes keep the positive energy moving forward.