5 Reasons Why Writing a Blog Could Help Your Job Search

5 Reasons Why Writing a Blog Could Help Your Job Search Youve probably heard it all before building an online presence is essential for your job search. Not only can you connect with other professionals  working in your field of work, expanding your professional network; but by having a voice across social media you can get yourself known within your desired industry and build a bit of status for yourself. Your efforts dont need to be limited to social media channels, however, and starting up a blog could be a great way to get one up on your competition. Nearly anyone  can set up a Twitter profile and follow a few relevant accounts, but by putting the time into creating a blog that shares your insights and knowledge, you prove that you have ambition and are passionate about  working in the industry. Here are a few reasons why blogging can help you to find a job. 1) It can set you apart from other job seekers. A lot of job seekers do the bare minimum in their job hunt and then wonder why they dont have loads of job offers flying in. By taking the time to start up a blog and writing about relevant topics within your industry you show initiative and prove that you are a go getter and are serious about building a career within the sector. 2) You can showcase your knowledge. Employers want to hire people who know what they are doing, or at least show potential. By writing a blog that showcases your expertise in a certain area, you can demonstrate  to prospective employers that you have the required knowledge and career goals for a job within their company. If there is a particular role or company you are interested in, you can tailor your blog posts so that it demonstrates your suitability for the position. 3) You can use it to build a personal brand. Along with your social media accounts, CV and cover letter, employers may also wish to check out your blog when screening you for a role, so you want it to depict you in the best light possible. You are in control of how you would like to present yourself, so put thought into the topics you write about and the style you use. Injecting a bit of personality into your blog posts can give employers an insight into the kind of person you are, but try to keep it professional. By sharing your blog across social media, etc. you can expand your audience and build a name for yourself in the industry. 4) You can use your blog to network. The aim of your blog should be to create conversation. By encouraging engagement on your blog posts, you can get to know other industry professionals and build an online network. A large, dedicated following on your blog will reflect positively on your level of expertise and employers like to hire individuals who are well connected. 5) You can use it to make money. In the meanwhile why not make a bit of extra dough during your job hunt? A lot of bloggers offer advertising on their blogs and can earn money by placing ads on their website. Companies such as Google AdWords offer PPC (pay-per-click) arrangements, where the blogger can earn each time the banner ad is clicked. [Image Credit: Shutterstock]

Why Expats Are Heading For The Tiger States

Why Expats Are Heading For The Tiger States From engineers to finance specialists, the “Asian Tiger” states Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea are turning the heads of expats. So, what is it about these four nations that makes them so attractive to expats, especially when compared to Europe?  Cost of living According to The Economist’s Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, Asia is currently home to five out of the six most expensive cities in the world. In contrast, Europe, which had eight out of 10 a decade ago, has been reduced to four. This shift is indicative of the growth, success, and current strength of industry in Asia compared to Europe. While a high cost of living might seem like a potential issue for expats, this might not in fact be the case. While the South Korean capital, Seoul, was ranked by Numbeo’s 2017 Quality of life index as the 34th most expensive city to live, the city is still more affordable than many other major cities including London (24th), New York (4th) and Geneva (1st). Similarly, a lower rate of income tax in Singapore, for instance, compared to the UK (22% compared to 45%) could see expats on average £14,000 better off after tax. In addition, many expats are hired with an employment package that may help to reduce the financial burden of relocation, accommodation, health, transport, or education. With the potential for higher take home pay, living in a major Asian city could see British expats reaping the benefit from higher salaries. Prudent expats will no doubt also be delighted to know there are many ways to save money and manage it more efficiently when living in an expensive city. Environment  As well as financial opportunities and the chance to experience new cultures, another important factor for expats is the environment. When seeking a location to move to, 60% of expats in Britain regard the weather as the number one disadvantage. It is fair to say that UK expats are likely to be keen to leave behind long spells of inclement weather, making Asia an ideal location. Taiwan’s newfound popularity with expats is not just financial. With beautiful countryside and scenic landscapes, expats used to London’s concrete jungle may be delighted to explore the hiking trails and views of the mountains in the warmer south of the country. With average temperatures ranging from 33 degrees Celsius in the summer, to 19 degrees Celsius in winter, and even snow at high altitudes, Taiwan offers a diverse climate for expats to enjoy and explore. Known as “the garden city”, natural landscapes complement Singapore’s tropical climate. The average temperature is over 30 degrees Celsius and combined with very high humidity year-round. So, while heavy rain is a common occurrence, expats are unlikely to endure cold, grey days synonymous with a “British summer” and many more days ideal for exploring the country or simply visiting the beach.  Health  Health in the Asian Tiger states is well regarded among expats, with all four nations ranking in the Expat Explorer Survey’s top 15 for “experience of healthcare” Taiwan (2nd), Hong Kong (6th), South Korea (14th) and Singapore (15th) and above major European nations like Spain (21st), Germany (22nd) and France (24th). South Korea’s healthcare system follows the British model with a compulsory social insurance system. This is a modern and effective system, but some procedures outside day-to-day appointments, such as dental care, or emergencies are not covered. These treatments may require private healthcare, which can become costly. As most doctors speak some English in urban areas, expats aren’t likely to face too many challenges while accessing healthcare. Rather than using a model like the UK’s state-funded system Singapore operates a hybrid healthcare system which combines government funding and patient payments to offer high quality care at a low cost. The result is one of the best healthcare systems in the world. While having such effective healthcare available is a boost for expats moving to the region, Asia is vast and coverage may not be consistent across the region. For this reason, expats might want to consider having personal health cover in place to ensure they have access to the right level of healthcare for their needs.  Economy Asia is well-known for the economic power of nations like India, China, Japan, and Singapore. The combined result is that Asia accounts for 40 percent of the global economy and by 2020 is projected to deliver almost two-thirds of the world’s financial growth. Expats in Hong Kong and Singapore agree, as both rank their “experience of finances” in their respective countries’ higher than the UK (24th), with Singapore ranking at third and Hong Kong at fifth. This is also reflected in South Korea’s continued economic development. Between 1964 and 2014 the economy has grown by an average of seven percent annually, making it richer than major nations such as New Zealand and Spain. In contrast with the economic and political changes taking place in the Western world, Asia’s major financial centers have remained positive and continued to grow consistently for the past 25 years.  Quality of Life Economic strength has been key to the evolution of the Asian Tiger States and the result has been marked improvement in education, health and living standards in these regions, boosting the quality of life for expats in the region. Natwest’s Quality of Life Index saw Taiwan leap to the head of the pack ahead of many more traditional expat locations in the region like Japan, Spain and Costa Rica. Singapore also reached the top 10, ahead of Germany and Switzerland. Hong Kong features in the top five, with expats citing the booming economy and improved standard of living as reasons for moving to there ahead of more obvious destinations like Australia, Canada and America. It also revealed that Singapore was the top choice for British expats. The Singapore government’s welcoming attitude towards immigrants combined with warm weather and the environment have made this a popular choice for those looking to leave the UK.

Career Transparency and Women at Work Marla Gottschalk

Career Transparency and Women at Work Marla Gottschalk As women, we all have a personal story concerning the road we have taken to achieve work life balance. I have a career saga to tell as you have your own unique story. All of the challenges and frustrations that we have experienced, are certainly ours to own and share. Of late, I am optimistic that we are moving to a new stage in the evolution of work for women, supported by the changing tide of culture and transparency. As organizations become increasingly open about who they really are and what they have to offer us, we might finally become more comfortable expressing who we really are and what we can realistically offer them. Transparency, a force which has swept the workplace off its proverbial feet, is on course to set the stage for real communication in the employee-organization realm and I am glad for it. Hopefully, this developing transparency will have a positive impact upon the unique set of challenges and stereotypes women face in the workplace. It remains, that many women would like to spend time at home at key points in their work lives. They should be able to freely to admit this, and have this need met without fear of reprisal or career suicide. If you have had the opportunity to read the Atlantic article, Why Women Still Cant Have It All, by Anne-Marie Slaughter, youd know exactly where I am going with this. With a healthy dose of   work life transparency, there is an opportunity for women to know what they are really up against when entering the world of work. We all should discuss the realities openly because the essence of being happy at work, might lie just as much in being honest about what we cannot do   as much as what we can do. In the early days of my career, I saw manifestations of the super woman myth on a regular basis. As a research manager at a large telecom company, I recall the story of one of our vendors placing   business related calls from her hospital bed, shortly after giving birth. Everyone seemed impressed and remotely amused by the story but I found the behavior perplexing. I thought to myself; Why did she feel the need to do such a thing? But, the answer was really quite obvious she had to prove to everyone that she was committed to her career, even though she chose to have a family. I am hoping that we wont hear such stories in the future and that there are less heroic displays of career loyalty required. As Slaughter goes on to discuss, young women today are becoming more open about what their role will look like, in comparison to their spouse or male co-workers. I believe that subtle, yet real differences will remain, and it is wise to validate that difference. Offering women accurate information about combining work and family wont necessarily predispose them to take on a less challenging career it simply offers them the option to realistically plan for it. In todays world, young men and women have similar expectations concerning holding roles with increased responsibility, and opinions concerning the division of labor within the home are also evolving. Men appear to be developing a stronger   role within the home a trend which will certainly augment honest work life planning   going forward. But, other issues need to fall into place as well. This includes the help of organizations to wipe out stereotypes in the workplace a much-needed, deep-seeded cultural shift. Slaughter describes that problem perfectly, and open discussions concerning gender parity are in order. (In this regard, I am anxious to see how the career of Melissa Meyer develops as she embarks upon her journey.) In the past it seems that the question posed to women as they embarked upon a career was, what are you willing to give up to be a great success. Going forward, I am hoping this becomes a thoughtful and honest discussion, with advantages to be reaped by both organizations and employees alike. Possibly a dose of transparency concerning the roles ahead, provided by those of us who speak from experience, can lead to more effective outcomes. Dr. Marla Gottschalk is a Workplace Psychologist and coach. Connect with her on Twitter and Linkedin.

Guest Post 13 Important Drivers to Developing Your Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Guest Post 13 Important Drivers to Developing Your Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career I would like to thank Jason Jacobsohn for contributing this guest post, as Im away on vacation. His work also appears in Personal Branding Magazine and has great networking advice to share on his blog. Jason is a seasoned networker who believes in relationship building as a key component to business success. He enjoys helping others succeed by making introductions, planning events, and sharing resources. In addition, Jacobsohn enthusiastically shares resources with his network through his e-mail newsletter, “Network Your Way to Success,” and Jacobsohn.com, a comprehensive business and networking resources Web site. Further, he shares an additional perspective through his blog, NetworkingInsight.com. _________________________ Developing your own unique personal brand is very important for business and personal success. Without properly branding yourself, you may get lost in the sea of people. Think about the successful people in the world who have developed an expertise while branding themselves. What names come to mind? Martha Stewart, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Donald Trump, etc. Below are 13 important drivers that will help you to develop your own unique brand. Develop a subject matter expertise â€" Start with a passion, know all there is to know about the subject, and become the go to person for this topic. Write articles â€" Take the time to write and publish articles discussing your area of expertise. Speak to groups â€" Demonstrate your expertise by talking to business associations and corporations. Publish a blog â€" Set up your own blog to further demonstrate your expertise. Set up a personal website â€" Set up a personal Website so you can provide additional value and have a place for your articles. I have done this with Jacobsohn.com. Create a personal email â€"Set up a personal email that is easily remembered and allows people to contact you regardless of your job. I use jason@jacobsohn.com. Create personal note cards â€" Buy note cards with your name so you can send handwritten notes that are professional. Prepare a personal introduction â€" Spend the time putting together a personal introduction about yourself so when you meet people or introduce yourself in groups, you can effectively and professionally tell people about yourself. Focus on your appearance â€" Figure out a way to have your own signature look whether it is a special nametag or piece of clothing. Either way, make sure that you look professional at all times. Create your own nametag â€" It is a good idea to develop your own unique nametag so you stand out at events. Also, if an event doesn’t hand out nametags, then you will have your own to wear. Carry a nice pen â€" Accessories are also an important component to your image so buy a special pen that you only use for networking. You can make it unique but make sure it is still professional so it stands out when meeting people. Develop a unique email signature â€" Make sure that you include appropriate information in your email signature such as Website, blog, LinkedIn profile, or tag line. Every email that is sent out should include this information, which will reinforce your brand to people each time. Portray a good demeanor â€" If you are not a genuine person, then all of your efforts will not pay off. Make sure that you are nice, help people, and follow through. You want people to remember you positively. As you probably noticed, all of the tips above focus on “you”, not your company. If you develop your brand effectively, then your network will always remember you over your employer. With relationship building, this is very important so you can build long-term and sustainable relationships.

7 ways to kick new term anxiety I wish Id known sooner - Debut

7 ways to kick new term anxiety I wish Id known sooner - Debut Picking up your momentum for university after all the shameful gluttony and sloth of the Christmas holidays can be a bit of a struggle. I know it was for me. When I was in final year (this time last year, Im not that old), second semester was tough. I was on top of things in my first semester until the sudden illness of a family member halfway through set me back. Ill never forget that feeling of dread when I came back after Christmas. Panicking and desperate to make up for lost time, I ran myself into the ground in my second semester. I got through it, but not in the healthiest of ways to say the least. We at Debut dont want that for you. So here are some lessons on dealing with anxiety before a new term I wish Id known. Take advantage of your last day at home Familiarity and relaxation is a big part of helping coping with anxiety. Its natural to want to spend your last day or two of freedom frantically cramming for the deadlines ahead. But think about all the calming home comforts you wont be able to take advantage of once you get back to the grind! If you want our advice, you might wanna think about doing a long day of study two days before you go back so you spend you last precious hours eating home-cooked food, loving your parents and watching TV you dont have to pay for. A little bit of planning goes a long, long way. Give yourself credit for what you did do You know what we said about New Years Resolutions? Same applies here. Try making an anti to-do list with all your achievements from last semester on it and suddenly this semester wont seem so insurmountable. Its easy to beat yourself up over what you didnt do. Take time out and dwell on the things you did well. Stop thinking about the time you dont have You wouldnt be any kind of real student if you didnt freak out about having one semester of teaching left before exam season starts. But look at it another way. One semester is 11 weeks and a lot of hours. The key is to make the most of that and not fret about the time thats gone. Which brings us to our next point Plan your work out before you do it Seems obvious but no-one told us. Scheming out all the work you have to do and when you have to do will help you stay on top of things. Break it all down into manageable sessions of a few hours at a time. Then, when you next worry about workload, just remember that as long as you stick to your schedule, youre gonna be fine. If you arent sure, there are a whole bunch of apps out there that can help you. Face your fears You ought to put the same emphasis on dealing with your emotions as you do on your academics. Each are equally important. (Need advice? Check out these great tips from  Students Against Depression.) As above, make an actionable plan to do things but with your anxious feelings rather than your workload. Make a list of your fears and tackle them one by one, starting with the most manageable to the most unwieldy. until youve beaten them all. Channel your nervous energy Sometimes at uni, I would get the feeling like I should be doing something productive but Id rather do literally anything other than what Im supposed to be doing. If you cant face doing any more work but you cant face the guilty feeling of not doing it either, find a new worthwhile activity to put that energy into. Play a sport. Do some volunteering. Hell, put some tunes on and dance around your room. We wont tell! Seek advice Theres really no substitute for this right here. Everyone has their own personal fixes for their anxiety. But the best weapon we have against mental illness is talking about it. If youre struggling, dont keep it to yourselves. Youve got access to friends, family members and professionals for a reason. Keep them in the loop and your new semester will be off to a flyer in no time. Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter

Job Seekers Humanize Yourself Through Social Media - CareerEnlightenment.com

2. Consider Sharing another Social Network ProfileLinkedIn isn’t the only profile that you should share when applying to jobs.   While LinkedIn is effective in showing your professional side, social networks like Instagram, Twitter, and Google+ show who you are as a person.   Link one of these social networks can show an employer who you are outside of work. This can give you the leg up in showing your character, personality and attitude.   Many employers want to find out what kind of person you are, both in and out of the office, and non-professional social profiles can help you show them.3. Create a Portfolio or BlogSocial media profiles give you a way to easily share your past work.   The biggest benefit of creating a portfolio is that you aren’t just saying what you did, but instead you showing what you did.   Whether it be a design portfolio, writing samples, or a blog, giving an employer tangible examples of your work will make you stand out. A portfolio puts you a step abo ve other candidates who just list their accomplishments.   In the long-run, hosting some of own work, will serve your career well. Show them how valuable you are.In the competitive job market, using social media to humanize yourself is a great way to get a head start, even before you get to the first interview.   While most candidates are quickly submitting their resume and a generic cover letter, you can submit a bolstered social media profile to show your value.   If only 12% of candidates are submitting social profiles to employers, you’re already ahead of 88% of the competition.   Use social profiles to personify your interest in a company.

How to Write a Great Resume That Will Get You Hired

How to Write a Great Resume That Will Get You HiredFinding good help when it comes to writing a resume can be a little bit of a challenge. It is not so much the need for help, but rather the fact that it seems that there are not many qualified people out there to take your resume and turn it into a great job. Luckily, there are many talented professionals out there who have great resumes in their files, and it will take a little searching around the Internet to get one of them.Resume writing help is going to come in different shapes and sizes. Some people hire someone to do it for them, but for the rest of us, we need to do it ourselves. There are some easy things you can do at home that will help you turn your resume into a good job. Of course, this does not mean you need to hire a professional, but if you really want to turn your resume into a great job, it might be worth spending a little time researching.After you have been working for a while, you will probably want to think abo ut a career choice. Most people like to do something different with their lives, and finding a new career can be a good way to move on from the ones you have been working for. You can either go back to school to get your degree, or you can try something a little more unusual.If you are tired of being stuck at your job, or you don't need to get any further education, a part-time career can be a great way to change your life. All you need to have is a car and some transportation to work. A part-time job may just be what you are looking for. You could also consider starting up your own business, but that requires a lot of skills, which is something you may already have, which is why you need professional resume help.Blogging is another great idea, because this helps you to network and also to build your own blog and be visible on the Internet. If you already have an existing business, this is a great way to start building it up, too. With all the free services you can find online, your business is going to grow even faster than you would hope.If you want to avoid the typical paper resume, then it may be worth trying to learn some quick and easy tricks to create a good resume. The best way to do this is to actually read the resume that you are going to use. This is how it is supposed to be done, right? There are a lot of websites out there that can help you do this, and they will cost you a small fee.Professional resume help is out there, and it can be found. Make sure you get it now before your resume is complete.