Seattle Hobbies that could land you a job

In a competitive workplace, your resume needs to stand out enough to get you through the front door.  So once you’ve polished up your skills and experience, put that “Hobbies” line on your resume to work for you. Here are a few extracurricular interests that can highlight admirable job skills.

Rock Climbing

What it shows: Decisiveness, problem solving, and interpersonal skills
Adrenaline-pumping activities like rock climbing and whitewater rafting say a lot about personality — and look especially good for candidates pursuing jobs that involve heavy decision making and leadership skills. If you’re trying to show that you can make quick decisions under heavy pressure, support those claims with evidence.

Launching a Club

What it shows: Initiative, management skills, and passion

You can skip listing most club memberships, say career experts. But if you actually founded a local juggling (or running, hiking, ukulele playing, etc.) club, be sure to include it — because it shows impressive initiative and management skills.

Seattle recruiters look for any pursuit in achieving a level of excellence. Of course, starting a club just because you think it will look good on your resume isn’t enough. People will see right through that, You have to have a passion for it, and pursue it at a high level — that’s the trick.”

Hosting Online Discussions

What it shows: Leadership, reliability, and a strong understanding of social media

Leading regular Twitter chats (or other online discussion groups) combines several talents that recruiters are on the lookout for: organizational, networking, and technical skills, as well as the ability to develop and maintain a social media following. It shows genuine passion and leadership and excellence; those are skills that hiring managers love.”

Volunteering Your Talents

What it shows: Practical skills, generosity, and confidence

Have you done any volunteer work that is related to your profession? Applying your career skills for the greater good can say a lot to Seattle hiring managers.

“Examples would be like managing financials or financial records for a charitable organization, overseeing an event, production or program, or establishing or directing a fundraiser. This type of volunteer work can help demonstrate your skills, experience, or expertise, as well as your commitment to community.

Career Advice for Women

Networking Horizontally:

Networking is one of the most crucial parts of building a career or business. One ignored part of networking that is extremely useful is Horizontal Networking. Networking doesn’t always mean attending events or trying to connect with someone you admire. Networking can also mean getting close with the people in the trenches with you as you evolve in your career. Over the years, those people will move on to other positions and you never know how you can help each other in the future.

Passion:

The most important quality to have to move ahead in your career is to show passion in every job you have. Even if you are not in your dream job, you need to put your best foot forward.  You never know who you will meet or who will end up shaping your future. Remember that your career or business is a marathon, not a sprint.  Do not try to be an overnight success or a one-hit wonder. Slow and steady wins the race. Take your time to develop the skills you need. No one expects you to know everything out of the gate.

Be Bold:

Be audacious! Treat your career as an exciting story, one you want to tell, each chapter adding new experiences and capabilities to your professional and life journey. Be passionate, show up and do what you love. Push other women forward, too.

Instinct:

Go with your gut. Never doubt it. Nurture it. Make it stronger. Make listening to it part of your self-care routine. It will never lead you astray. Even if it tells you something you don’t want to hear, trust that voice; it will guide you to the right destination. If it recommends a career transition, a new job or circle of friends, trust it blindly. Make that a foundation you can always turn to in moments of doubt or on hard days.

 

Job Interview Do’s and Don’ts for Lynnwood Careers

Job Interview Do’s:

Preparing for a job interview is essential to making a good impression. Employ these handy job interview techniques to win over your interviewer:

  • Plan to arrive on time or a few minutes early. Late arrival for a job interview is never excusable.
  • Greet the interviewer by their first name.
  • Wait until you are offered a chair before sitting. Sit upright and always look alert and interested. Be a good listener as well as a good talker. Smile!
  • Maintain eye contact.
  • Follow the interviewer’s leads but try to get them to describe the position and duties early in the interview so you can relate your background and skills to the position.
  • Make sure you convey your good points factually and sincerely. Keep in mind that you alone can sell yourself to an interviewer. Make them realize why they need you in their organization.
  • Always conduct yourself as if you are determined to get the job. Never close the door on an opportunity. It is better to be free to choose from a number of jobs rather than only one.

Job Interview Don’ts:

  • Answer questions with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Share things about yourself relating to the position.
  • Lie. Always answer questions truthfully, frankly and as concisely as possible.
  • Ever make derogatory remarks about your present or former employers, colleagues or companies.
  • ‘Over-answer’ questions. The interviewer may steer the conversation into politics or economics. It is best to answer the questions honestly, saying no more than is necessary.
  • Let your discouragement show. If you get the impression the interview is not going well and you have already been rejected, don’t show discouragement or alarm. Occasionally an interviewer who is genuinely interested in you may seem to discourage you in order to test your reaction.
  • Ask about salary, bonuses or holidays at the first interview – unless you are positive the employer is interested in hiring you and raises the issue first. However, know your market value and be prepared to specify your required salary or range.

Tips to survive the Covid Blues

2020 has been an epic year for all the wrong reasons and things are bleak and circumstances have led you to think about a  new career or a new job.

Maintain your focus.

If you’re about to start a new job or career, it’s time to get laser-focused. What type of work do you want to do? What types of projects do you want to work on? Get clear on what your dream career looks like and deprioritize anything that’s not on your goal list.

Do your research.

Thanks to Google (and Bing and Yahoo) job searching resources are at our fingertips! Interested in working at a specific company? Check out Glassdoor to see what employees are saying about it. Get informed–it might even lead you to a new company (or title) you haven’t heard of before.

Remove distractions.

Learning something new or doing research to change careers can be daunting, so always aim to work in environments that allow you to be the most productive.

Learn the fundamentals of the industry.

If you’re making the leap into a completely new field, do your best to learn the basics. Find out what the typical job titles and roles consist of and learn about the types of career path options you could take. Start with the entry level and work your way up to see what it would take to become a manager or director in your respective field.

Tap into your network.

Ready to become a software engineer and know a friend (or a friend of a friend) who is one? Reach out to them! Buy them coffee, find out about their process, dig into what they wish they knew when they got started.  Even if you’ve had three jobs before making the switch, there’s always room to learn more. Worst case, you’ll get some insider info. Best case––they might be the contact that helps you nab your next role.

Working from home? cultivate some good habits.

Maintain a live schedule.

Since you’re not seeing your colleagues every day, it’s hard to stay updated on their whereabouts and the goings-on of the company. Employees working from home need to make it a point to have an active schedule. By keeping constant updates and reminders, it is easy to stay abreast of what the rest of the team is doing and not get behind or miss deadlines. There are many tools and apps that keep track of moving parts of assignments, meetings, days when other employees are in the office and more, he added.

Use apps like Slack  or Teams

Create a physical workspace.

Just because you’re working at home or in your pajamas doesn’t mean you can’t create a productive environment. Setting up a particular space in the home that is only for work, such as an office or a particular spot at a dining room table, it is a clear message to the employees and anyone around them that they are in work mode. It can be as simple as setting up a desk with notepads and pens or clearing some space at your kitchen table rather than lounging on the couch or in bed. Make sure you have zero distractions: Turn off your TV, put on some bright lights, keep your phone on silent unless it’s needed for work, etc.

Create a virtual workspace.

A virtual workspace is just as important as a physical one. Rather than isolating yourself from your colleagues, initiate video calls and group messages. Create a space for all online employees to meet frequently, having video conferences or conference calls builds community within a team and makes sure no one feels left out. Make sure everyone receives an equal amount of attention, and that no one feels out of the loop. When managing workers who are not in the office daily, it is important that supervisors provide them with all the information necessary.

Don’t come in only when you have a reason.

While it’s tempting to stay at home as much as possible, don’t save in-office days only for required meetings, the root of true innovation very often lies in chance meetings. Organize lunches or after-work dinners, and push yourself to come in when others are around – even if your agenda is free that day. This will enable these face-to-face meetings and entice others to the office. Remote work could be a bad practice, however, if you make the effort to show up often and connect with colleagues, you’ll find the practice more beneficial than problematic.

 

Always Keep Improving

Never Stop Learning:

Once you know the skills you need to achieve your job search goals, and are continuing to improve and update them, it can be useful to learn new skills or seek out new experiences that you have never had before. Volunteer work can provide you with opportunities to expand beyond the scope of that to which you are accustomed, and allow you to interact with people you may not otherwise have gotten the chance to meet.

There are countless resources for seminars, webinars, and online education that are either free or modestly priced, and allow you to learn at your own pace and whenever you can find time. In addition, thanks to the advent of the internet, nearly anything you want to learn is practically at your fingertips, merely a clicked link or a Google search away.

Improve Your Resume: Your resume should reflect the best you have to offer, and it should clearly and concisely communicate who you are and what you can provide to a potential employer, as it will need to get past a variety of filters and screeners before finding its way in front of the person in charge of hiring new employees. Keywords are an important aspect of a successful resume, as an overwhelming number of them are being electronically reviewed first. Search online for examples of other resumes, or ask to see ones being used by people you know, so you can compare and contrast them with yours. If your resume is getting you to an interview, then you know it is working, but it can always be improved. Don’t be afraid to ask potential employers what it was in your resume that made them pick you over all the other candidates, and what parts they ignored or did not like. Just remember that in the end, a resume is a tool to get your foot in the door, not land the job.

Cloud-Base Your Career Materials

Cut Your Response Time by Using Cloud Storage for Career Materials

If you find your dream job while browsing on your phone or during a break, having your career materials saved on a zip drive at home can delay your response. To stay agile in your job search, storing your résumé, cover letters, and other documents in the cloud is a more convenient option. It allows you to apply for jobs immediately, no matter where you are.

How to Prepare and Store Your Career Materials

  1. Tailor Your Documents: Tailor your résumé and cover letter for different types of positions you’re interested in. For example, if you’re in public relations, have one version geared toward startups and another for larger, established PR firms. This will save time when applying and allow you to tweak only minor details instead of starting from scratch every time.
  2. Cloud Storage Options: Uploading your documents to cloud storage platforms like Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive offers flexibility and ease of access from any device. These platforms allow you to quickly share files with potential employers or attach them to job applications directly.
    • Google Drive: Free and integrated with Gmail, making it easy to attach files to emails directly.
    • Dropbox: Offers file storage and sharing options with seamless collaboration tools.
    • OneDrive: Free with Windows, integrates well with Microsoft Office tools.

    Tip: Ensure your documents are well-organized and named clearly so you can quickly locate the right file for each application.

Benefits of Using the Cloud for Job Applications

  • Accessibility: With your career materials in the cloud, you can apply for a job from anywhere, anytime, as long as you have internet access.
  • Backup: The cloud acts as a backup for your important files, reducing the risk of losing your résumé or cover letters.
  • Easy Updates: Since you can access your documents from any device, updating your résumé or cover letter is quick and easy without needing to transfer files between devices manually.

By leveraging cloud storage, you’ll be able to act quickly when job opportunities arise, ensuring you’re always ready to apply with minimal delays.

How should I optimize my LinkedIn Profile?

Lots of people have LinkedIn accounts, but few of them are as polished or robust as they can be for search engine optimization (SEO) purposes. For starters, replace that picture of you and your dog. It’s cute but not the right type of photo for a professional network. It might be right for another platform, but you’ll probably want to use a more professional headshot for a solid first impression on LinkedIn.

Never leave the summary field blank. Max it out to the 2,000-character limit. This is where you highlight your accomplishments rather than your formal job description. Recruiters want to see what you’ve done so they can decide if you’re a good fit for their client.

Claim the vanity URL that has your name so it looks like “linkedin.com/in/yourname” (here’s how to do that). Since LinkedIn often ranks well in organic search, including your name directly in the URL can also help you rank well. Once you’ve finished giving your LinkedIn a spit-shine, you can add that URL to the bio of your other social media profiles.

Include other places where people can find you online by customizing the website listings in your contact information. Rather than using LinkedIn’s default of “website,” select “other” when you add links to your profile so you can label them with a specific company name or note it’s a writing portfolio, for instance. That can help it stand out when someone views the contact info on your profile.

Your final step in optimizing LinkedIn is deciding how much of your profile you want to make available to the general public. Your public profile can be modified so you limit what people see when they aren’t logged into LinkedIn. There are some upsides to doing that; requiring people to log in before they can see your employment history and accomplishments allows you to see who viewed your profile, unless their own viewing settings are set private. But if you want to make it easy on recruiters (and you do!), make your full profile available to everyone without requiring a login.

Advice for the recent Bellevue Graduates.

Be aggressive. Is there a job you have your heart set on this year? Be more aggressive by applying to the job(s) you really want to thrive in. Reach out to potential employers and properly introduce yourself. Stopping by the company is a great way to make new connections and really highlight your interest in working for a particular niche.

Be practical. Even if your current job is merely another gig to pay the bills, this year remember to be practical. Don’t quit your current gig unless you have another job lined up. There’s no need to make hasty decisions. This year, be practical when it comes to career choices.

Network frequently. You never know who a new person is until you start chatting with them. Whether it’s a passenger on public transportation, someone on their laptop at a coffee shop, or even the person behind you in the checkout line at the grocery store, try to network. Always carry business cards on you at all times and remember to be friendly. Striking up conversations with random people could lead to a job. Try it.

Attend conferences. Conferences are great resources for professionals of all walks of life. There’s so much to learn from keynote speakers and the content you discover at conferences could very well put you in a more professional setting someday. Research affordable conferences in your area or ones within reasonable traveling distances. See if your current employer will cover the registration fees. Do what you can to make an appearance at one or two conferences per year. They’re fantastic networking opportunities, and great for your resume to make you a marketable candidate.

Invest in yourself. This year, make a point to invest in the tools that will improve your career. Whether it’s a new laptop for better functionality, a course to brush up on your networking skills, or a website membership to start your own online presence, try to invest in yourself. Do what you can to improve your professional platform this year.

5 pieces of advice to ignore while searching for jobs in Seattle

Ask for a promotion. 
It’s common to hear that you won’t get a raise or a promotion if you don’t ask for one. But you shouldn’t ask; “not even at your annual review.” Instead, use your actions to show you’re a better leader.
Learn the business inside and out, generate team results that your boss can’t ignore and create the most positive, supportive, entrepreneurial spirit in the company.  Then, when there is a need for a new leader, you will be asked. If you want to be promoted into a leadership role this is the best route.
Keep your resume brief. 

You’ve probably been told to keep your resume to one page.  Your resume reflects why you are best qualified for and deserving of the proposed position. If you’ve had extensive work experience, don’t sacrifice highlighting your skills, talents, and expertise just to cram everything onto one sheet of paper. Your resume should be tailored for the specific job you are applying for, and each job description should emphasize the talents that you have developed and will bring to the proposed role.

A great resume will get you hired. 

It’s vital to focus on using your resume to get an interview. “Your resume doesn’t need to be in chronological order or even include every job you’ve had. Your resume is a marketing tool, use it — along with your phone — to get an interview. A great attitude and interview gets you the job, not the resume. Recognizing the different stages of the hiring process is critical to creating a tool that works well for its intended purpose.”

Send a post-interview thank-you note. 

Instead, send a strategic follow-up letter indicating why you are an excellent candidate,  it should be a response to the asked or un-asked question: why should we hire you?

Follow your passion.

This tip is the most erroneous, many people have multiple passions or might not discover their true passions until later in life, and sometimes these passions are just not viable as a source of income.  The right question would be ‘What kind of life do I want to set up for myself?’”