Friday, May 29, 2020

Programmer Resume Examples (Template Guide)

Programmer Resume Examples (Template Guide) Youre about to write a killer programmer resume.But first, heres a few disturbing factsPrograming can be done from anywhere in the world. Major companies outsource programming jobs to countries where wages are lower.Employment for programmers in the next 10 years is projected to shrink by 8 per cent. Thats your harsh reality.The good thing is, those amazing unicorn companies that youve always dreamed to work with still need on-site programmers.Unfortunately, thousands of candidates share that dream. To get a job with the best of the best, youre going to need the best programmer resume in the pile.Fret not, its not that hard to have one. This guide will show you:A programmer resume sample better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.How to write a programmer resume even if you have no experience.Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements on a computer programmer resume.How to describe your experience on a resume for a programmer to get any job you want.Here's a programmer resume sample made using our resume builder.Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. Its fast and easy to use. Plus, youll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.Sample Programmer ResumeSee more templates and create your resume here.One of our users, Nikos, had this to say:[I used] a nice template I found on Zety. My resume is now one page long, not three. With the same stuff.Create your resume nowTargeting a specific position in programming or computer science? We have some more dedicated guides for you, check them out:IT ResumeSoftware Developer ResumeWeb Developer ResumeMachine Learning ResumeFront End Developer ResumeFull Stack Developer ResumeJava Developer ResumeHow to List Projects on a ResumeDevOps ResumeNetwork Administrator ResumeSystem Administrator ResumeData Scientist ResumeData Analyst ResumeWeb Designer ResumeUX Designer ResumeUI Developer ResumeNetwork Engineer ResumeCompu ter Technician ResumeQA ResumeCyber Security ResumeIT Specialist Resume1Whats the Best Format for a Programmer Resume?Providing the perfect UX is the name of the game for you, right?You know that people dont care enough to focus. If your product isnt intuitive or if your website isnt easy to skim, you immediately lose your audience.Recruiters are just like any other group of users.So, what can you do about it in your professional programmer resume?Use the respected, elegant reverse-chronological format. Its the best programmer resume template. Why?It front-loads your strengths and shows the peak of your career at the top of the resume.It makes the whole thing searchable.It saves recruiters time.Writing a junior programmer resume with little professional experience?The reverse-chronological format is still your best bet, even for an entry-level programmer resume. You can make the most of it by doing two things:Put your education section above your work experience.In the work experien ce section, list your side projects, non-paid freelance gigs, volunteer experience and part-time jobs.Pro Tip: A programmer resume in PDF is probably your usual choice. PDFs are good because they keep the layout intact. But read the job description carefully to see if PDFs are accepted. If notsend your programming resume in DOC.Feel like you could benefit from highlighting your programming skills? Think you could benefit from a different programmer resume format? Check out our comprehensive guide: Resume Formats: How to Format a Resume for Greatest Impact?2Programmer Resume Objective or Resume Summary?Picture a programming recruiter.Shes sitting at her desk, scanning a load of 500+ resumes.Suddenly, she sees your resume. She sits up. She reads the whole thing.How did you accomplish that?By putting a carefully crafted introduction to your resume at the very topa brief, sharp paragraph that showcases your strengths and proves that youre just the candidate shes been looking for.Your op ening paragraph will either be a resume summary or a resume objective.Heres which one you should choose:A resume summary should be used in:Senior software programmer resumes for experienced candidatesResumes for specialized positions, such as C programmer resumes, Python programmer resumes, or C++ programmer resumesResumes for managerial or executive positionsA resume objective, in turn, is the best choice for:Entry level computer programmer resumesSelf-taught programmer resumes with little work experienceJunior programmer resumesProgrammer resumes for fresh graduatesProgramming internship resumesLets see some examples of programmer resume summaries and objectives:Heres a sample programmer resume objective:Sample Entry-Level Programmer Resume ObjectivewrongComputer Science BSc graduate looking for a job where I can leverage my knowledge of C++ and ASP.NET MVC architecture working with a highly effective team in the medical field.Why is it so bad?Like most others, this candidate wrot e about what he wants from a job.No one cares what you want. No one cares that you want to leverage your skills working with a highly effective team.Have a look at a good self-taught programmer resume objective:Entry-Level Programmer Objective ExamplerightHard-working listing programmer with a flair for creating elegant solutions in the least amount of time. As a freelance programmer, created SAS datasets of clinical data and developed macro programs to improve efficiency and quality of data management for Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Looking to use my programming skills to help boost Piper Companies data management efficiency.See the difference?This ones solely focused on the employers benefit, not the candidates personal gain.Now its time to compare two examples of programmer resume summaries.Heres a sample C programmer resume summary:C Programmer Resume Summary ExamplerightResults-oriented C programmer with 8+ years experience developing, testing, and maintaining enterprise software a pplications. Designed and developed over 30 advanced applications from use cases and functional requirements. Investigated new technologies to make sure that XYZ Corp remained the leader in setting industry standards in past years.Just perfect. This ones sure to make the recruiters pick up their phones and call the candidate in for an interview.Sample Programmer Resume SummarywrongSoftware programmer with extensive experience skilled in C, SQL, Java, JavaScript, Python, Perl, PHP and C#. Developed multiple apps, websites, and other types of software in accordance with modern trends and industry standards.Not awful, right? But its too general and doesnt include any hard numbers.The candidate from the wrong example just listed generic programming skills and duties. This sort of resume summary is just like everybody elses. Its not going to impress the recruiters. Rather, make them go YAWN!When making a resume in our builder, drag drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring st uff. Spell check? Check. Start building your resume here.Create my resume nowWhen youre done, Zetys resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.Hungry for more advice and tips on how to write a programmer resume objective or resume summary? See our guides: How To Write A Resume Summary: 21 Best Examples You Will See and +20 Resume Objective ExamplesUse Them On Your Resume (Tips)3How to Describe Your Programmer Experience?Think about this:On average, recruiters take just 6 seconds to review a single programming resume.Its scary, but true. Good thing is, you can make these 6 seconds work for you.Heres how:What matters most for recruiters is your work experience.If you want your dream programmer job, the work experience section on your programmer resume has to be jaw-dropping. Heres how to have one:Start with your current or most recent job. Then, add your previous positions in reverse chronological order.Under each entry, add up to five bullet poin ts. Focus on your achievementsrecruiters are not interested in what you did, but how well you did it.Show how you can provide value to your employer based on what youve done in the past. By tailoring your work experience section so that it matches the job offer.What do I mean by tailoring?While reading the job ad, highlight all the requirements and responsibilities of the position. These are the keywords the recruiters will be looking for on your programming resume.If you see tasks that youve done before, list them in bullet points under your positions.Here, see how its done:Have a look at a sample Java programmer job description:GENERAL DUTIES RESPONSIBILITIESProvides design development of projects(1) involving application development, migrations, and additions to existing applications.Participates in project meetings(2) with other technical staff, business owners and subject matter experts.Assesses and develops design requirements for project(3) and communicates in writing or in meetings with development team while assessing detailed specifications against design requirements.Reviews test results(4) and directs further development.May provide, or guide provision of technical support to applications currently in production.May mentor or guide(5) work of less experienced programming and development staff.Now, have a look at the work experience section on a Java programmer resume sample. Notice how the candidate matched his responsibilities with the highlighted keywords:Example of a Java Programmer Resume Work Experience SectionrightJava ProgrammerBlack Knight Financial Services 20102017Jacksonsville, FLDesigned and developed up to 10 applications projects per year(1)Designed project requirements(3) in cooperation with data analysis teamsSupervised products testing, reviewed and analyzed test results(4)Participated in project meetings(2), with technical staff members, business analysts, and external stakeholders.Trained and mentored(5) over 15 junior programme rs and developersKey achievement: Developed test automation(4) tool that reduced testing time by 55%.Wow, right?The candidate didnt cram his work experience section with all his previous duties. Instead, he listed only those that show hell handle his prospective responsibilities with ease.There are two more strategies you can learn from the programmer resume sample above:First of all, you need to highlight your best achievements.See how our candidate did it:Key achievement: Developed test automation tool that reduced testing time by 55%.He used the PAR (Problem Action Result) formula:Problem: testing was too time consumingAction: developed a tool to automate testingResult: testing time reduced by 55%.Also, remember that, as a programmer, you need to be quick and efficient. So, quantify your achievements whenever possible.Secondly, use action words to describe your responsibilities.Designed application projects, or Trained junior programmers sound way better than Application projects design or Training and mentoring.Pro Tip: If your projects are available online, include links to your portfolio below the list of your past employers. This is particularly important if youre writing a freelance programmer resume or a self-taught programmer resume. Linking to good projects on a resume for programming jobs is as important as describing your job history.Now. What if you dont have much programming experience?How to Write a Programmer Resume with No Experience?Weve got good news for you: its really easy to get some programming projects for your resume. They will take you no more than a couple of days and youll be able to show your future employers that youve got relevant job experience.Have a look at some coding project ideas:Do freelance projectsPost your code on GithubContribute to open source and freeware initiativesParticipate in HackathonsWant to know exactly how to boost your work experience section by listing achievements on your professional programmer resume? See our guide: How to Put Achievements on a ResumeComplete Guide (+30 Examples)4How to List Programming Projects on Your ResumeYoure a programmer, so your career isnt just about 9-to-5 jobs, its about projects, too.A good list of programming projects on your resume is one of the things the hiring managers expect. So, add a Projects section below your work experience.Focus on your relevant projects.Applying for a position at a cool, relaxed start-up? You might want to put links to some fun and creative projects on your resume.Aiming at a job with a serious corporate tech company? Choose projects that show your programming proficiency and your ability to follow directions.If you dont have an abundance of programming projects to choose from yet, keep in mind that for hiring managers, any programming projects are usually better than none.Even programming projects you had to do for class are well worth including on an entry-level programmer resume. Use them to prove your knowledge is app licable in a professional environment.Pro Tip: If you put a programming project on your resume, be prepared to answer detailed questions: What was hard about it? What did you learn? What was your biggest challenge? Don't overhype a project and make it sound like you did more than you really didit will be an instant deal-breaker during the interview.Want to see some other ideas for your programmer resume sections? Have a look at our handy guide: Resume Sections to Include on Your Resume: Guide (+20 Examples)5Is Your Education Section Underclocking? It Might Be.Good news: listing your education on a programmer resume is usually easy.Most of the time, youre required to have a bachelors degree, but your education is not the chief focus of the recruiters.If thats the case, all you have to do is enter your highest degree of education.Include your major, the name and location of your college, and graduation dates.Heres a programmer resume sample education section:Sample Programmer Resume E ducation Sectionright2012 B.Sc. in Computer ScienceUniversity of Iowa, Iowa City, IAIts okay to include more details in your education section, only if theyre exceptionally interesting or relevant to the position.Pro Tip: If you have relevant work experience, dont put your GPA on a resume for a computer programmer role unless the job description asks for it.What if youre writing a self-taught programmer resume?Its perfectly fine if your college degree has little to do with computer science. Online learning programs, bootcamps, and other courses are enough to build a strong case for your education.Want to learn more about making a professional programmer resume education section? See our guide: How to Put Your Education on a Resume [Tips Examples]6How to Put Skills on Your Programmer Resume?Listing your programming skills on a resume is tricky.Lets say, youre familiar with 10+ programming languages and feel tempted to show it off.C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Perl, Python, Go, Visual Ba sic, HTML, Cobol, Swift, LuaThat seems like an impressive skills list to put on a programming resume, right?Wrong.Though youre familiar with all those languages, youre probably not an expert in all of them, and most of them are probably irrelevant to the job youre trying to land.Again, remember about tailoring your resume to meet the employers needs.Heres how to do it:Start with a spreadsheet and list all your top skills.Read the job ad and look for skills-related keywords. Those will refer either to programming languages and software skills, or transferable soft skills such as timeliness, organization, and teamwork.Finally, match the skills from your list with those that your employer expects.How to put programming skills on a resume?Have a look:Heres a sample job description for a SAS programmer:Required Skills/Experience:Minimum 5 years of expert level SAS programming(1)Minimum 5 years of experience with SAS Enterprise Guide(2)Experience with SAS scoring(3) and code Accelerator(4 ) is preferredMinimum 5 years of practical experience working with large datasets with SAS and/or SQL knowledgeExperience with SAS Management Console is preferredWork well within a team of analysts(4) and collaborate with individuals with technical and non-technical backgrounds(5)And heres a tailored SAS programmer resume skills section:SAS Programmer Resume ExampleSkills SectionRelevant skills:Advanced knowledge of SAS programming (8+ years of experience)(1)Proficient in following SAS products:SAS/Enterprise Guide(2)SAS Scoring Accelerator(3)SAS Code Accelerator(4)Good teamwork skills (worked with teams of 10+ analysts(4), and marketing specialists with limited technical knowledge(5)Nailed it.Keep in mind that your computer programmer resume is not about how great a professional you are. Its about how well youll perform in this particular job.A tailored list of programming skills on a resume will make hiring you a no-brainer.Pro Tip: As a programmer, youre obviously a proficient co mputer user. You dont need to mention basic software skills on your programmer resume. It would look unprofessional.Need some more ideas on how to make the best programmer resume skills section? See our guide: +30 Best Examples of What Skills to Put on a Resume (Proven Tips)7How to Add Other Sections on an Effective Programmer Resume?The problem with most programmer resumes is that theyre almost identical. All in all, every programmer has similar responsibilities, skills, and education.And thats your opportunity to stand out from the crowd.Have a look a some ideas of what to include in your programmer resume additional section:Professional certificationsPublication in journalsIndustry blogsLanguagesVolunteer experienceGot an online portfolio? Include a link in your contact information section.Its also okay to link to social media profiles, especially Github. Actually, if youre a prolific Github contributor and many of your projects are available online, its a good idea to list them in an additional section.If youre writing an entry-level junior programmer resume and can showcase none of the above yet, its a good idea to add a hobbies and interest section. It can prove that youre a good cultural fit for the company. And, nowadays, its becoming more and more important.Pro Tip: If you feel like you have nothing that makes you glitter, its easy to change it. Good project ideas for a programming resume additional section include writing guest posts for an industry blog, taking additional online courses, attending conferences, or participating in hackathons.Not quite sure what to include in the extra section of your computer programmer resume and what to leave off? Read our guide: 20 Best Examples of Hobbies Interests To Put on a Resume (5 Tips)8How about a Programmer Cover Letter?Cover letter or not?How aboutjob or not?A good programmer cover letter can be used to your massive advantageit tells a story your resume cant.Think about looking for a beginner IT job or a programmer internship. Daunting, isnt it? Its your programmer cover letter that can get you there!If you attach a cover letter to your programming internship resume, you can highlight your creativity and explain why youre interested in working with a particular company.Not convinced? Check this out:Almost 45 out of 100 recruiters wont bother to open your job application if theres no cover letter included.Yes, you read that right. Its hard to argue with hard numbers.Write a programmer cover letter (even if not directly asked for in the job ad) and double your chances of getting hired.Pro Tip: After you send your programmer resume and cover letter, dont forget to follow up! Itll take you no more than a minute and youll no longer be anonymous to employers.Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here.Here's what it may look like:See more cover letter templates and start writing.A nd if you want to get some extra tips on how to make the most of your programmer cover letter, read our dedicated guide: How To Write A Cover Letter [Complete Guide With Examples]Key TakeawayEven if you have the best programming skills, first you have to catch the recruiters eye with your professional programmer resume.Start with a bang: write a resume summary or a resume objective. Make it about the benefit youll bring to your future employer.Tailor your resume to the job description. Dont list all the programming skills that you have and dont make your work experience section too long. Focus on whats relevant to this job.In your work experience section, add a link to your online portfolio and links to your side projects. This way, instead of telling the recruiter how good you are, youll show it to them.Wondering how to describe skills or programing languages on a resume for computer programmers? Feel like you could use some tips about listing your major achievements? Give us a sho ut in the comments, and well answer your questions!

Monday, May 25, 2020

Similarities In Our Differences - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Similarities In Our Differences - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today’s workforce is made up of mixed generations from boomers to millenials and from a multitude of demographics. Despite the differences we are more similar than dissimilar. I’m an avid cook and was wondering about a new use of a package of wonton wrappers that I had left over after making dim sum. In a Saturday morning of research I found recipes to use the same “Chinese” wrapper to make maultaschensuppe (a German dumpling), Russian Ramen, Tibetan Momos, Georgian Khinkali, Jewish Kreplach, Sichuan Chili wontons, Pierogi, Ukranian Manti, Slovenian dumplings, Italian Tortellini, and Montreal Peanut Butter Dumplings. Each recipe had the same “outside” but the insides changed a little with geography, history, culture, tastes, available items, etc. All recipes achieved the same goal of satisfying taste and providing nourishment: the same outside wrapper but different inside the wrapper techniques and ingredients. There is an analogy to today’s work force. We are humans who are made up of differences on the inside but with the same outside goal of pursuit of happiness â€" whether with food or a career.

Friday, May 22, 2020

Getting Pregnant and Battling Infertility and Miscarriage

Getting Pregnant and Battling Infertility and Miscarriage We are switching it up today because its my due date! Since this is pre-recorded I dont know if the baby will be here yet but there would be no baby without the help of my friend Karenna who I interview today on the podcast. If this podcast episode was around 8 years ago it would have saved me a lot of heartaches. So even though you may think fertility is a little off topic, my dream and journey to become a mother are so closely linked to designing a career and life that makes me happy and fulfilled. I hope you enjoy this different episode and if you are struggling with fertility and miscarriage, just know that you are not alone. Karenna Wood International Fertility Coach YourFertilityHub.com Battling Infertility and Maximizing Your Chance of Getting Pregnant Karenna Wood is an international fertility coach and founder of Your Fertility Hub. She is passionate about women getting more emotional support during infertility and has helped women all over the world to get pregnant naturally purely through accessing the power of the mind-body connection. She is building a tribe of women at Your Fertility Hub.com who are taking charge of their fertility journeys, learning how to reduce stress and maximize their chances of conceiving through being healthy in both body and mind. Subscribe  on  your favorite platform below: iTunes Google Play Music Stitcher Radio TuneIn iHeartRadio Sound Cloud Some questions I asked: Let’s talk about mindset first because when we first started, thats something I was struggling with always thinking the worst was going to happen and negatively talking-to myself. Why is this bad and how can we change it? How do you create a vision for yourself? Why is that so important? Affirmations and visualizing. How do you do guided meditation? Why is the emotional side of infertility so important (and so forgotten)? What is the mind-body connection? How does this affect our careers? Our confidence? Episode Resources: Join Your Fertility Toolbox an exclusive members area of YourFertilityHub.com to access free meditations, downloads and monthly support in the facebook group. You can also purchase albums of specific meditations, guides on how to thrive through IVF, de-stress, worry less and learn to relax more, Fertility and Treatment Milestone Cards, Affirmation and Inspiration cards and book intensive 121 coaching with Karenna. You may also like these episodes: My Biggest Personal Announcement How Women Rise: Break the Habits Holding You Back with Sally Helgesen

Sunday, May 17, 2020

10 Ways to Incorporate Media Accolades Into Your Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

10 Ways to Incorporate Media Accolades Into Your Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career How should professionals whove been featured on a media list, such as Forbes 30 Under 30, use the recognition as part of their online brand? Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC)  is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most successful young entrepreneurs.  YEC  members represent nearly every industry, generate billions of dollars in revenue each year and have created tens of thousands of jobs. Learn more at  yec.co. 1. Place It Selectively and Strategically in a Few Places A mention on a media list, such as Forbes 30 Under 30, should be worked into places like email signatures, brief bios and character profiles. Its important to strategically place your mention. Seeing the accolade once or twice will create positive feelings in the viewer, and theyll find it impressive. If they see it on every page of your site, you may only look self-important.  Brandon Stapper,  Nonstop Signs 2.  Explain Why Its Important While its important in the business world to make known any big accolade as a way of standing out from the crowd and instilling buyer confidence, its also equally essential to attach meaning to it. This might entail posting a video interview on your site where youre asked  what the accomplishment personally meant to you and what you had to overcome to get there.  Dalia MacPhee,  DALIA MACPHEE 3. Include It in Your Guest Article Bios My company relies heavily on written content such as guest posts to generate interest and sales. Because of that, I think the best way to implement an accolade is to mention it in every short blurb or description for any guest posts or written articles. This will immediately demonstrate credibility and recognition, adding weight to the content.  Bryce Welker,  Accounting Institute for Success 4. Share It on Social Media Anytime I receive an award or recognition, I keep posting it on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, Medium and my own website. I make the post continuously for several weeks to generate traction. This really helps me attract clients or generate leads from my network.  Piyush Jain,  Simpalm 5.    Display Clickable Media Logos Being featured on a media list will help you gain instant authority on what you do and leverage it to fuel your business. Be vocal, and brag about your achievement in your  LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram  profiles. You would also want to leverage the logos of the entity that gave you the recognition and link the logos to the article or media release to gain trust.  Fred Lam,  iPro Management Group Corp. 6. Display Them on Your Homepage Placing media logos on your homepage is a great form of social proof, which can help you get more sales. Youll often find sites that do this will make the logos a lighter color so they dont detract from your products marketing materials but enhance it.  Syed Balkhi,  WPBeginner 7. Follow the Brands Guidelines The brands that give these awards want the publicity as much as you do â€" and they often provide guidelines for using their logo, writing press releases and spreading the word. So take their free advice, and check those boxes first.  Sam Saxton,  Paragon Stairs 8. Create a Press Page As you start receiving more and more accolades for your business, youll want to create a dedicated pressroom. From there, you can link out to all press youve received as well as create a press kit for new publishers.  Jared Atchison,  WPForms 9. Mention Accolades in Your Sales Materials Adding the media logos to your sales materials can be a great way to instill trust in your company. You can add them to things such as brochures, sales decks and, of course, your website. This will help customers feel more comfortable purchasing from you compared to someone who hasnt been vetted by the media.  Chris Christoff,  MonsterInsights 10. Dont Overdo It Mentions such as Forbes 30 Under 30 are important social-proof tools that drive conversions on your website and help you appear as an authority figure. The more reputable the source, the better. However, I caution those who plan to blast it anywhere and everywhere. You may come off as holier-than-thou.  Zachary Burkes,  Predictable Profits

Thursday, May 14, 2020

The Freelance Life Where Passion Meets Reality - CareerMetis.com

The Freelance Life â€" Where Passion Meets Reality We’ve all seen them. Those pictures of people on a beach with their laptops, soaking up the sun while they earn money as freelancers. It all looks so appealing. Personally, I’ve tried it, and between the blaring sun, the breeze, and the sand, very little can really get done. Freelance work on the beach doesn’t really work. Freelance work by the beach just might.Why People Become FreelancersPeople become freelancers because they have passion. They have an area of expertise that they love, and they want to use that expertise to carve out a career â€" doing what they love.evalPeople also become freelancers for all of the other reasons we have read about â€" freedom of work life and scheduling; flexibility of work hours; complete choice in type of work and who to work for, and so on.These motivators push an ever-increasing number of people, especially millennials, into freelancing.In fact, here are a few statistics:Almost 40% of millennials are freelancers80% of millennials employe d in the traditional workforce state they would quit their jobs if they could freelanceBy 2020, 40% of the entire workforce will be freelancersClearly, this new economy and the technology revolution has spawned an entirely new viewpoint of how people work.Understanding the RealityAll of the passion you may have for freelancing has to be tempered with the reality of actually making a living this way. Here are some “realities” that you must understand before you make this plunge.1. You are an Entrepreneur NowevalYou are in business for yourself, and there are a lot of tasks involved other than just practicing your expertise, whether that is as a designer, writer, business consultant, artist, musician, or any other niche.You have to look at yourself as a business product that must be sold.2. You must build a personal brand, just like any business must.evalThis means you get a website, a blog, and get yourself established on social media. It means that you develop connections and wr ite articles and submit them to other blogs. It means you get a LinkedIn profile and join discussion groups.3. You may need to spend some money on advertisingThere are plenty of places to spend some advertising dollars, and developing a strategy to spend them smartly. This will take some research on your part.4. You Must Develop a list of potential clientsStart locally, even though your freelancing may ultimately take you much further geographically. Develop strategies to make contact with potential clients. Use family, friends and colleagues to make introductions.eval5. You Need an Elevator PitchThis is a 30-second introduction that is creative and speaks to directly to the value you bring to others through your freelancing.evalDon’t just say, for example, “I am a freelance website designer.” Instead say, “I help clients promote their products and services by creating amazing and unique websites that visitors love to come to…” Here, you have explained the value that you bring to the table.If you are a freelance translator, you might craft an elevator pitch something like, “I make sure that clients get everything they need translated from English to French or Spanish, including their websites, their product catalogues, even legal documents. I have worked for top translation agencies Here’s my card.”6. You are also a business owner â€" you have to run that businessA small business owner has to spend time on those business operations. You will need to handle budgeting and finance, invoicing and tracking expenses, keeping records for taxes; you will need to either create marketing materials and great content or contract with others who can.You will be in charge of phone calls, scheduling meetings, responding to clients as quickly as possible, meeting deadlines, handling crises, and, most important, keeping yourself organized.7. You have to accept long hoursNothing happens until you get that first client. It’s easy to get discouraged and lose y our enthusiasm, and the hours may be long and hard. These hours will cut into social and family time, and it’s easy to lose the balance you should have. At least one day a week must be set aside for you â€" your personal life, whatever that may be. You cannot keep your enthusiasm otherwise.8. You must develop strategies to retain clients long-termChasing new clients takes a lot of time and expense. Of course, your business grows by acquiring new clients. But every client you can keep long-term is one less you must chase Passion keeps you enthusiastic; addressing the realities keeps you grounded. Make sure you have the right balance of the two.

Sunday, May 10, 2020

Getting in the Flow Of Confidence

Getting in the Flow Of Confidence Hi. It’s May Busch and welcome to sunny Arizona. I’m here at Arizona State University where I am an Executive in Residence and Senior Advisor to the office of the President, and I’m also Professor of Practice at W.P. Carey School of Business, the business school at ASU. Today’s topic is about confidence. This is such an important feeling that we want to have, isn’t it? All the coaching work that I do, I find that often, if not always, comes down to confidence and to some extent gaining clarity but really confidence is at the core of what is going to turbo charge us on our trajectory. It’s also something that, if it’s lacking, can hold us back. So it’s worth spending a little time on this. I would just say that there are various aspects of confidence that I think are worth covering today. First is feeling confident, being confident. Second is about displaying confidence. And then third, my favorite, is about giving other people confidence. So, let’s take each of those in turn. Feeling confident In some ways, that is the Holy Grail for so many of us. And feeling confident though, I just want to say, is not binary in my book. It’s not either/or, you either have it or you don’t. No, confidence, feeling confident is on a spectrum. There’s a spectrum of confidence. This reminds me of taking that statistics course so many years ago, and please don’t ask me any more beyond this because this is all I’m going to remember, but I remember clearly talking about the degrees of confidence and I loved that idea. The same holds true for confidence in our lives. Another way to think about it is the Eskimos seem to have over 100 ways to say the word ‘snow’, or at least that’s what I’ve been told. And so it’s not snow or no snow, it’s lots of different degrees of snow. The same thing with our confidence. And within the spectrum of confidence, I will just highlight two pieces. First is, it’s important to have enough confidence for the thing that you’re doing. And it’s possible to have too much confidence, to be over confident, just as it is possible to be under confident. So, having enough confidence for the task at hand is what you want to focus on. I think of it like looking at the battery life you have left on your phone or your laptop. You just need to look at that and see, “Do I have enough battery life left?” i.e. confidence for the thing I want to do, whether it’s a conference call at the office or timing yourself at the gym, whatever it might be. The other aspect is, what type of confidence do you need? One is very situation specific. So for example, I might be going to a meeting with other people and they might say, “May, you are the expert responsible for knowing everything in tab J, so when it comes to tab J, you’re on, and I need to be confident about tab J, so that’s very specific. Fine. Another kind of confidence is about something more holistic. For example, in that same meeting analogy, that would be like saying, “Okay, I may not be the expert in tabs A through J but I do have the complete confidence that walking into that room, I can handle whatever comes my way.” So that’s a different kind of confidence. I will just say that earlier in my career, that first kind of confidence was really key and as I became more senior, it became that second kind of confidence that I could handle it, even if it meant… if challenged on something that I might have to say, “That’s a really good question. Let me come back to you after doing some research”, but I can do that with confidence. Right, so that’s about feeling and being confident.   The second piece Displaying confidence This one is interesting because we all know that sometimes we can feel confident yet not come across that way, not display it, which is a shame so we need to work on that. Other times, we can be, or we know people who are displaying lots of confidence but they don’t actually feel it inside. Sort of like those swans gliding across the water so serenely and calmly when, underneath, they’re paddling madly or at least we think they are, right? We’re not under water looking at them but we’re guessing that they are. It’s really this ability to display it no matter what’s going on under the water that really helps us. Not that we want to be an empty suit or anything but it’s helpful to display. It also helps others because we’ve all been in talks where we’re the audience and somebody is speaking and we can tell that they’re just so nervous and we actually, our heart goes out to them. We want them to feel confident, we’re willing them to feel confident but how they display affects how we feel in the audience too. So, just know that when you’re displaying confidence, you’re actually helping other people and sometimes that helps us to be more confident in displaying confidence. On this displaying confidence, I would highly recommend the Ted Talk by Professor Amy Cuddy. She’s a Harvard Business School Professor and she’s done this wonderful Ted Talk about your behavior actually affects your mindset in terms of how confident you feel, so check it out. The third piece is about Giving confidence to others This is so important in my mind because it helps us get out of our own way when we focus on other people. Not only that, giving other people confidence and helping them to be confident is a gift. It’s the kind of gift that attracts other people to us and that is a very positively reinforcing cycle that is very empowering and, frankly, gives us a lot of confidence. We feel good when we give a gift like that to other people. I’m reminded of  Paolo Scaroni, the CEO of Eni, the largest energy and oil company in Italy, when he talked about his own litmus test for himself as a leader and a manager, which is, “Do people leave my office feeling more positive than when they came in, no matter what the message is that I’m delivering to them?” And so this kind of gift of confidence is the same. It really is important and it feeds into the whole, what I call, the reciprocal wave or reciprocal flow of confidence in the universe. So, what I’d like you to do is get out there and catch this wave of confidence whether you: Start the wave from the top: feeling confident, displaying confidence and giving others confidence, or whether you Reverse the wave: start by giving other people confidence so that you can be better at displaying and feeling it yourself Whichever way you go, get out there and get in the flow of confidence.

Friday, May 8, 2020

Make Sure That You Get the Best Ideas From Your Grant Writing Resume Cover Letter

Make Sure That You Get the Best Ideas From Your Grant Writing Resume Cover LetterGrant writing is something many people are interested in pursuing. You could earn enough money doing this, if you get the right advice. There are plenty of online sources for this, but it's still important to take the time to research before handing over any money.For example, you need to make sure that the grant writer has your best interests at heart. You don't want to pay for someone to write your grant application to try and help you when they could be trying to rip you off.The same goes for when you make sure to get as much information as possible from a writer before signing on the dotted line. It can save you a lot of time and money in the long run. When you find a writer that seems genuine, you'll know you're working with someone that will be honest about how much work it will actually take to finish the project for you.Just like a resume, you need to make sure that you make all the right choices when it comes to what you put in the grant writing resume cover letter. This is very important if you want to land the first grant you see that looks interesting. Since you need to stand out, this means that the resume needs to be properly formatted.Some grant writers may make a mistake with how the cover letter is formatted. The best thing to do is to have a copy of your resume ready before you write the letter, so that you can look at it over some time and pick up on any formatting mistakes.The job of the cover letter is to sell yourself to the company that you're submitting to. In many cases, you'll be spending hours writing it. It's going to show through, so make sure that you choose a style that will do this.Because there are so many different styles of writing resumes, you should be able to find one that fits your personality. There are lots of them out there, so don't feel stuck with a particular format. Take some time to explore the options, and figure out which one will be best for you.Finally, make sure that you have a meeting with the grant writer before writing your cover letter. They may have other ideas or suggestions for you, and you need to make sure that you give them the time of day.