A Career in the Hospitality Industry

A Career in the Hospitality IndustryA Career in the Hospitality IndustryWhen most people think of a career in abverkauf, they dont consider the hospitality industry as an option. Most think of hospitality careers consist of restaurant managers, front desk workers, housekeepers, and managers. The truth is, however, that hotels and resorts are driven by sales professionals helping sell rooms, fill the lobbies and keeping the restaurants humming. B2B Sales Professionals Wanted For the most part, the sales professionals employed in the hospitality industry are focused on B2B sales. Their days are spent visiting local businesses to champion how their hotel/resort has the resources and gruppe needed for them to host a team meeting, or a customer invited event. These sales professionals need to understand their competition and know how to sell their establishments services too often very exact needs of their prospects and customers. These sales professionals also need to have strong net works within their local communities to not only draw leads and local opportunities but also to partner with local businesses to provide mora local resources for businesses visiting their establishment from out of the area. These relationships with local businesses can and should be symbiotic One business supports the other in a mutually beneficial way. Get to Know What You Are Selling Go to work a few minutes before your official starting time and walk through the entire hotel or resort. Visit as many of the guest rooms as possible, paying attention to the furniture, fixtures, location, cleanliness as well as any other factors that give each room its flavor. Walk down the hallways, visit the public area restrooms, again while checking for cleanliness and the overall ambiance. Spend time walking around the lobby, visiting the meeting rooms, any restaurants, bars, pools, and gyms. Introduce yourself to every one of your co-workers whom you havent met yet. Talk to them about what they do, how they do it and ask them about their unique tips and tricks. If available, review any literature in the lobby or guest roomthat anzeigegert area attractions, restaurants, and hotel or resort services. Lastly, make sure you take a close look at the entire hotel/resort from the viewpoint of a guest. As a sales professional in the hospitality industry, what you sell is everything about your establishment. You sell the quality of the guest rooms, the comfort of the meeting rooms, the skills of the housekeeping staff and the relaxation found in the pool/spa area. You sell the local area, your restaurants and the professionalism of your lobby and front desk staff. Thinking that your job is book meeting rooms, putting heads in the beds and getting customers to book out as many rooms as possible is shortsighted. While doing these activities may be what you are compensated on, your focus needs to be much broader and include every little thing about your establishment and the surr ounding community. A Day in the Life of a Hospitality Sales Professional Sales professionals in the hospitality industry spend most of their working hours building their networks and contacting clients and prospects. Some sales professionals are fortunate in that they receive communications from interested businesses. These professionals usually are competing with a select number of other area resorts/hotels and need to be able to understand, convey and close on their establishments unique values. Those who work for lesser-known establishments or are located in less popular areas, need to spend more time prospecting for business and building up their local and global networks. These professionals have to overcome obstacles in addition to competition in order to get businesses to choose their establishments over any other possibility. Beyond driving business, a sales professional also needs to spend time each day learning more about their industry, improving their skills and gain ing a better understanding of what makes their establishment one that businesses around the world would be interested in learning more about.

Complete Your ASME.org Participant Profile Using LinkedIn

Complete Your ASME.org Participant Profile Using LinkedIn Complete Your ASME.org Participant Profile Using LinkedIn Complete Your ASME.org Participant Profile Using LinkedInCreating a thorough Participant Profile will make using ASME.org a mora engaging experience. Most ASME members have probably heard about ASME.orgs array of new community features that make connecting with colleagues a great deal easier. You may not have heard, however, that the key to making the most of these new features is by first creating a robust Participant Profile on ASME.org. If that sounds like an arduous task, its not. In fact, you can start building your Participant Profile by simply importing the information you already have in your LinkedIn profile.The first step is to go to www.asme.org and sign in using the email address associated with your current ASME membership account. Youll then be prompted to create your Participant Profile by entering your name, primary interests, and location - and acce pting the terms of use. After successfully creating your profile, youll be taken to your Participant Dashboard. Next, move your mouse over your user name that appears at the top right side of your screen. A menu with a list of options will appear. When it does, scroll down and click on the words Your Profile and you will be taken to your Personal Profile Page, where youll have the ability to edit your information. In the middle of the page, under the heading Get a Head Start on Your Profile, youll have the option of importing your information from LinkedIn or the ASME database. To get your information from LinkedIn, just click the button Import from Linkedin. After entering your LinkedIn user name and password, you will have the option of importing your photo, work history, education and professional summary and other information from that site. Keep in mind that its important to include as much information as possible in your Participant Profile. Creating a full and rich Profile wi ll enable other ASME.org Participants to find and connect with you. A complete ASME.org Profile will include your photo, job title, professional summary, education, and technical interests. You may also enter additional information - such as your certifications, patents, publications and current projects - that will help Participants learn more about you.For an even more robust Profile, include links, such as a link to your LinkedIn profile or university website, to help other Participants find out more about your experience and interests. Then be sure to supplement your Profile by joining ASME.org Groups based on your technical interests and engaging in conversations through commenting, posting and Group forums.Theres no time like the present to ensure a more rewarding and connected experience on ASME.org. Visit www.asme.org now and start filling out your Participant Profile.

How to Build your First HR Department

How to Build your First HR DepartmentHow to Build your First HR DepartmentHow to Build your First HR Department Smith, PayScale.com At first it seemed like your company was getting along just fine without an HR department. After all, the work that HRdoes is often easily outsourced and seems mundane in the grand scheme of things.However, it is indisputable that certain work needs doing and tasks such as employee relations compliance, employee training, payroll, andbenefits administration are all vital functions of a business as are other functions, such as onboarding, employee terminationand keeping up with employee performance reviews.Recordkeeping outside of the business can be problematic in itself, and issues such as conflict resolution simply cannot be handled using outsideresources.While outsourcing behauptung tasks may have been a feasible solution for your company in the past, you have come to the realization that your business is probably better off handling these things int ernally. Your business is growing and evolving and with that you have recognized that the time has come for you to build your first HR Department.How HR Has EvolvedTraditionally, HRs purpose was to focus on determining who does what and to screen out the undesirables during the hiring process. Yet times are changing.Over the past decade, HR has started to transition out of this cookie-cutter role. Today, there are huge variances in the tasks they handle. Some HR departments still perform standard roles, but many are responsible for a variety of business functions.Before building your first HR department, you must first decide what tasks you want to hold HR accountable for, and most importantly, what you want out of your potential HR professionals.HR Skills that Matter MostWhen searching for your menschenfreundlich resources managers, you should put your focus on seeking out candidates who have high-detail orientation, strong written and oral communication skills, and an open and ple asant disposition.A senior-level HR professionalshould possess all of these basic skills plus additional knowledge about the nuts and bolts of HR - compensation, employment law, benefits management and design, and problem resolution skills. A qualified senior level HR pro-fessional should also be highly empathetic and possess strong public speaking abilities.Integrating your New HR TeamInitially the introduction of your new HR team members can wreak havoc on other de-partments, especially when they first take on the tasks previously performed by other team members. Here are some pointers on how to introduce your new department without causing a major upset.Be clear about why you need an HR department. If you dont know why you need HR, then the process of creating a department is bound to be frustrating for everyone involved.Prepare your managers. The tasks that your newly-hired HR professionals will be taking on may have been previously handled by your managers who have de-veloped their own ordnungsprinzips of hiring, firing, and counseling employees. That makes it imperative to speak with your managers about why you are hiring HR professionals and stress that you need their full support of the new team members.Provide Support. Your new HR department will need financial, technological and emotional support to get the job done. Financial support might come in the way of a budget that allows for continuing education, professional memberships, consultant fees, and monies for programing supplies.Technological support may include a modern compensation management system and the training to go along with it. Even more important, however, is providing them with emotional support as HR works with management.Set High Expectations. Set a high standard for your HR Department. Your new department should be reliable when it comes to responsiveness, trustworthiness, and accuracy. The department should regularly generate new ideas, initiatives, and programs that add value by driving employee retention, reducing risk and liability, increasing employee productivity and profits.Be Inclusive. If HR is routinely excluded from significant discussions about work matters, it wont take long for everyone to realize that the organization doesnt re-spect the function. Once that happens, HR wont have the credibility to influence outcomes.There are many things to take into consideration when building your first HR department. If done correctly, your HR people will help your business to function much more efficiently.Ultimately, finding qualified individuals who are motivated to learn the business and help employees thrive will prove to be critical in whether or not your new HR department sinks or swims.Learn more about building a successful HR department or fixing an existing one in this new PayScale whitepaper.

Tis the season to avoid pigging out on work snacks

Tis the season to avoid pigging out on work snacksTis the season to avoid pigging out on work snacksCookies. Cake. Latkes. Donuts. This time of year, it seems like every office is crowded with more snacks than usual. Because they are. Between corporate gifts and holiday parties, it can be hard to avoid.We know that they call it the watercooler, but with all the chips and cookies luring, how can you be sociable at work without constantly pigging out?Ryan Frankel, the CEO/Founder EduPlated.com, a new app that helps to match dieters with dietitians, had some ideas on how to keep eating under control during the munchiest time of the year.1. Set yourself up for successIf you assume youre going to give into the endless temptation, you probably will. Frankel says to Start each day with a hearty breakfast consisting of lean protein such as eggs or Greek yogurt. He also says that stuffing yourself with Carbohydrate alternatives like cereal and white toast only spike your blood sugar and inevi tably results in the munchies leid long after you eat them.Another great thing to keep in mind is that if youve already satisfied your sweet tooth, you might spend less time noshing on junk food. Remember to have a big breakfast the day of your office lunch party so youll be less prone to eat anything and everything that comes your way.2. Avoid temptationFrankel said The best prevention against pigging out is avoiding temptation. To that end Dont stash candy, chips, and other snack items assuming youll have the willpower to avoid them. When those mid-afternoon yawns come rolling around, you may not have the willpower to opt for a healthier alternative.So, dont stockpile candy, just be smart and let your coworkers keep the extras.While youre at it, you might also want to keep a healthier trail mix in your desk for some advance fueling and to keep your sweet tooth satisfied with fruits and and protein rich nuts.3. Start your day well, invest in physical fitnessIf at all possible, try to start your day with an exercise boost. Frankel says to Go for a jog, swim laps, hit the weight room and stay active. Exercise revs the metabolism and a healthy metabolism is an important component to ones wellness goals.If youre not a gym bunny or are having a particularly busy week at work, think small. Get off the train one stop before you usually do, or park a few blocks away from the office. Walk up or down even a single flight of stairs before catching the elevator, or invest in a standing desk and commit to answering email while standing.Frankel says its pretty simple to take care of yourself even during the snackiest time of the year Eat well. Avoid temptation. Exercise. Thats it.

The art of the cold-call Ringing up a random stranger

The art of the cold-call Ringing up a random strangerThe art of the cold-call Ringing up a random strangerRinging up a random stranger to ask them about that job or that great idea of yours is a nerve-wracking experience.To steady your shaky nerves, recognize that even the most successful people in the world have been in your exact same position, waiting for someone to pick up. When Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was just an intrepid 12-year-old, he cold-called Hewlett-Packards co-founder Bill Hewlett about getting spare electronic parts. Hewlett actually picked up the phone and that conversation eventually led to an internship for Jobs.Most people never pick up the phone and call, Jobs said in a 1994 bewerberinterview about what he learned from the experience. Most people never ask and thats what separates sometimes the people that do things from the people that just dream about them. You gotta be willing to fail.Asking for help on the phone places you in a vulnerable position. You ca n get yelled at, you can be ignored, you can hear the dial tone of a click. But once you get over the fear of rejection, you open yourself to the possibility of what could come next. Heres how to do it yourselfDo your homework firstBefore you cold call the company of your dreams, know what you are getting yourself in for. Do your research on the partie you want to talk with, so that you can convince them why a stranger is worth their time. You should at least know the name of the person before you try to call them, career coach Miriam Salpeterrecommends. Even if you cant find someone to introduce you toyour target contact, either in person or via social media, you should at least be able to find the persons name, she writes. Theres no excuse for calling a company and expecting the receptionist to help you figure out the best person to meet your needs.Insincere flattery can make you look like a grubby social climber, but a genuine appreciation of someones work is usually received pos itively. If you are calling someone you admire, it does not hurt to let them know that. When I did this recently, I made a point of telling the person I targeted (truthfully) that Id been following her newsletter and her blog for years. I also made reference to something specific on her website,Delia Lloyd wrote about her cold calling experience to find a job.Just be sure to not talk too long about what you admire about the caller. This is not a social call between pals its a networking one between strangers. It behooves you to get to the point of why you are calling once you grab someone on the phone.Identify why this person should want to talk to youWhen calling a stranger, it helps to be upfront about what value you could offer them. Could you help them with a aufgabe? Do you have information that the company could use? Make the request specific enough that the person on the other line cannot just pass you off to another person. You may want a job, but that request is too big to be answered on a first call.Career expert Caroline Ceniza-Levine recommends making your request as specific as you can for a first contact. Ask about the organizational structure of the specific department you are targeting. Ask about the person who runs that group. Ask about projects in the pipeline or key objectives, she writes. By asking for a job, you put your cold contact on the defensive. By asking about the business, you demonstrate that you care about making an impact.Dont be afraid to use a scriptTake advantage of the medium you are using to contact someone. With a phone call, you can write notes to prepare and have them right in front of you as you call. Thats what investigative reporter Pamela Colloff advises for those of us who are making calls to people who may not want to hear from us.Sometimes when I have to make a nerve-racking reporting call - usually cold-calling someone about something awful - I write out a script. I even write out my phone number, because Im co nvinced, one day, Im going to forget, she said on Twitter.Writing down your introduction and your goals for the conversation are good insurance to have when your mind blanks or you start to babble nervously. Above all, recognize that it may take many cold calls before you see results. Even if one call leads to nowhere, you are gaining practice and are actively taking steps for a yes in the future.

The New Fuss About Sales Resume Examples 2018

The New Fuss About Sales Resume Examples 2018 Basically, you would like to quickly portray that youre a perfect candidate for those forms of jobs youre pursuing. Applying for a sales job should take some time, but nevertheless, it shouldnt permit you to stress. Browsing for a new job is just one of the most difficult things you are going to have to do in your career and its no easier this year. Do bedrngnis be hesitant to use simply the latest resume 2018 templates and boost your odds to find a new job You require busy hiring managers to quickly glean the information which you present. Your resume needs to fix an issue for employers (which is the reason why theyre hiring). Write about your career to date. Look back at your previous jobs. Youre made to include everything, and the result is usually a resume that doesnt capture interest since it isnt focused. In the long run, its about hard work and framing. This year it more important, when compared with the prior decades. Things You Wont Like About Sales Resume Examples 2018 and Things You Will In the majority of cases, you shouldnt include hobbies on your submission in the slightest. Additionally, a resume that isnt ATS-compliant is not likely to ever be selected as a match, no matter the candidates actual qualifications for a position. In other case you simply waste a place in your resume. In other instances, in the event you chose to use one resume format. What Everybody Dislikes About Sales Resume Examples 2018 and Why Try to remember, every work application demands a customized resume that matches precisely what theyre searching for Exactly like the proper packaging for the best products, selecting the suitable format and the acceptable layout for your retail sales associate resume provides an expressive first impression. It isnt the most glamorous job, but it is sometimes a good option, particularly if youre passionate about just what the store carries. Do not incorporate a picture for a standard North American application. Connectby showing you comprehend the requirements of the position. A summary contains the main things you would like your employer to understand that may not appear on your resume elsewhere or emphasizes points that seem elsewhere on the webpage. Spend one hour answering these questions regarding each job youve held. Below, you will locate a list of resume examples that may aid you with your work search. Regardless of the demand to advertise oneself uniquely, bear in mind that a lot of major organizations utilize Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to scan submitted applications. There arent any formal education requirements to be a cashier. Learn more on the subject of the top skills employers search for in candidates. Your trainings and certificates end up being more beneficial than you might give credit for. What Sales Resume Examples 2018 Is - and What it Is Not Include one, and youll greatly increase your odds of landing that regional sales manager position. As there are different job functions that are necessary to be done in the specialty of sales, an assortment of professional positions are offered for people that wish to produce sales activities as their profession. Making your resume attractive and simple to read can further this objective. Its not simply professional strategy, but a good gunst der stunde to make your resume stand out from a crowd. What Sales Resume Examples 2018 Is - and What it Is Not Since you get a terrific possiblity to incorporate the most important and worthless info to your resume. You may also read more on the ideal approach to use our resume samples here. A good way to do it is to include numbers due to the fact that they jump off the page first. Dont forget, your resume must present only the appropriate mixture of meaningful information related to your objective. Heres What I Know About Sales Resume Examples 2018 There are a few rules you will need to follow, when youre writing or updating your resume. When youve reviewed resumes in your field, peruse resumes across fields to know how to vary using action verbs and receive a feel for what makes a potent accomplishment statement. The absolute most hard step here is to choose which resume format is suitable for you. Before sending, remember to review your document in the new format to make certain it appears the direction you would like it to.

Bears, Babies, and Why No One Remembers You

Bears, Babies, and Why No One Remembers You Yesterday, my car started sounding like there was a babyraccoonsquealing from inside the engine block. My powers of automotive description are woefully inadequate forCar Talk, so I figured that I better have some professionals look at it. Do I know a mechanic? No. Do I own the Yellow Pages? No. Does anyone in my extended family have anyinkling of what to do with a car besides put it in Drive? No.Every time we drive by this giant bear statue, my kids go wild with questions. How did they carve the bear? Can we buy a bear for ur front lawn? What kind of wood is the bear made from? Can we get a chainsaw?Can you say indelible branding?The first thought I had, of course, was of that wrench-holding giant bear statue. I looked them up on Google, gave them a call, and my car is now in their hands (or paws.)This is the new world of commerce. That bear serves the s ame function as the Etrade Baby. It burns into your mind and plants the seed from which future decisions spring. There are still no great ways to look up extremely local and contextually nuanced information on the web. Since we dont tend to use the Yellow Pages anymore, what are we left with?We now rely more on our memories than ever before. The company that wins is the one that makes a memory. Sure, our memory issupplementedby a massive amount of information on the web and communication with our friends online. But what creates the impetus for a search? We research online, but how do we know what to research?In this case, it was from a bear that made a giant impression on my kids which then shaped andinfluencedmy behavior as a consumer. Recruiter.com doesnt have an equivalent iconic force and maybe it needs to. Maybe each company and even each of us needs something very unique. Not a brand, but a memory-maker.

Top Five GMAT Study Mistakes

Top Five GMAT Study MistakesTop Five GMAT Study MistakesMistake 1 Believing that more is more A common misperception is that the only way to truly master the GMAT is to see every dicke bretter bohren mssen in existence. And given the number of GMAT guides available at your local bookstore, there is plenty of material out there. Of course, you do want to see a variety of problems, so that you know which concepts are tested, and how. However, simply exposing yourself to all sorts of problems is not enough you have to actually study the problems, and this may mean doing fewer problems. You are not done with a problem when you get it right. You should spend twice as long reviewing a problem as you spend doing it, whether or not you got it correct. (Im serious on that one.) As a part of your review, ask yourself whether you identified the topics being tested. Did you do answer the question in the most efficient way? Was there another approach you could have taken? Does the problem or any of the concepts remind you of other problems youve seen? The goal is to find a lesson in each question and be able to apply those lessons to the next group of problems you do. Mistake 2 Believing that more is more, part deux I once knew a GMAT student who believed that if he took a practice test a day for six weeks, he would be prepared when the actual test date rolled around. Prepared to jump off a bridge, I thought, but not prepared to take the test. Just like doing too many practice problems, taking unnecessary tests will not help you learn the material necessary to do well on the GMAT. Use practice tests sparingly. Use them to build stamina, get accustomed to the zeiteinteilung constraints, and gauge your progress. Practice tests should not be your primary study tool. If you are fortunate enough to be using a test that gives you diagnostic information, use that information to guide your future studying. Focus primarily on your weakest areas, but dont let any particular topic or question type go cold. Whatever you do, DO NOT get hung up on your score. These are practice exams for good or ill, the real exam will be a completely different experience. Mistake 3 Believing that more is more, part tre Its a rare bird who did not, at some point during college, pull an all-nighter cramming for a nasty final exam. Remember when it was 3 am and the room was littered with half-drunk cups of coffee, empty pizza boxes, discarded Twizzlers wrappers, and numerous rumpled cheat sheets? That was fine when you were 19 and trying to remember a semesters worth of menschengerecht behavior biology it wont cut it now. Studying for long periods of time is not effective preparation for the GMAT. Rather, pace yourself. Give yourself a good three months to prepare for the test, working about two hours a day. Mix up your study sessions so that you work a bit on verbal and a bit on quantitative topics. Do a group of problems (say, twenty minutes worth) and spend the next forty minutes reviewing your work. Take a stretch break, come back, and do another group of problems. Review those intensely, and then call it a day. Longer work sessions lead to diminishing returns, a concept that all business schools care about. Mistake 4 Forgetting about time Time is your most valuable resource when you take the GMAT. Since you have only 75 minutes to answer either 41 verbal questions or 37 quantitative questions, how you allocate those precious minutes is crucial to your overall strategy and success. Too often, GMAT takers put too much emphasis on getting the problem right and not enough emphasis on getting the problem right in the right amount of time. Always, always, always do your practice timed. Give yourself a certain number of minutes to complete a set of problems. This way, you can see how well you balance those problems that take a little too long with those that you can do faster than the average bear. Always strive to find the most efficient way through the question . Mistake 5 Doing only the stuff youre good at It feels great to do a set of problems in the right amount of time and get them all (or nearly all) correct. When that happens, give yourself a sincere pat on the back. But then go in search of material you are less comfortable with. Working only on topics or problem types you already feel great about wont help your overall score nearly as much as making improvements in areas where you arent quite up to snuff. Because of the GMATs adaptive nature, your weaknesses create a ceiling for your strengths. You wont see a 700-level Sentence Correction question if your Reading Comprehension is down in the 500s. In order to take the most advantage of your killer grammar skills, you have to increase your RC level. So, bite the bullet and do the hard work. It may not feel quite as fun the first time out, but youll love the improvements youll make over time. Conquering the GMAT can seem like a daunting task. But if you avoid these five mistakes, you ll be well on your way to victory. And if you get stressed, grab one of those old 2 pencils and departure gnawing away on the end of it. I mean, its not like theyll let you use it for the test, so you might as well get some use out of it. About ManhattanGMAT ManhattanGMAT is the nations largest GMAT-exclusive preparation provider. ManhattanGMATs mission is to provide students with a blend of the academic and test-taking skills essential for success, given todays higher standard for what defines a competitive GMAT score. Preparation options include 9-session courses, private tutoring, one-day workshops, and corporate classes on-site at many Fortune 500 companies. The ManhattanGMAT Strategy Guides, the heart of our curriculum, can be purchased through our online store or major book retailers like Barnes Noble. Check out our website to learn more about our upcoming programs, curriculum, and instructors. *GMAT and GMAT CAT are registered trademarks of the Graduate Management Admissions Council, which neither sponsors nor endorses this preparation service.For more b-school and GMAT insight from the experts at ManhattanGMAT, check out our MBA Resources. To find a free ManhattanGMAT vorstellung in your area, visit our website.

Why You Really Dont Have to Have a 5-Year Plan

Why You Really Dont Have to Have a 5-Year PlanWhy You Really Dont Have to Have a 5-Year PlanIm organized. Logical, too. I have a five-year plan, a 10-year plan, and even a rough idea of where Id like to be in 25 years. I dont do it out of obligation. Ive always been this way. Before I ever set foot on Tufts green campus as an undergrad, Id already had all my classes mapped out and knew which classes to take to cover multiple requirements. I also made a backup plan that would allow me to graduate in three years- you know, just in case. At a glance, it looks like I really have it together. And dont get me wrong, I definitely do (I think), but its elend because of all the plans Ive made. In fact, to be honest, I havent kept any of those original plans. Not a one.It welches a realization I made while studying career counseling theories- John D. Krumboltzs Happenstance Learning Theory, to be specific. He posits that unplanned events are to be expected because theyre inevitable and, in fac t, necessary to every career. How many successful people actually followed a plan to get to where they were? Maybe a handful. Most were (and continue to be) superbly hardworking and just really good at recognizing and acting on opportunities that come their way. On the role of the career counselor, Krumboltz writes, The goal of career counseling is to help clients learn to take actions to achieve more satisfying career and personal lives- not to make a single career decision. Pretty straightforward on all counts, but to me it was also pretty revolutionary. Theres no mention of five-year plans, no clear-cut steps toward a singular career goal, or even a sense of urgency. Ultimately, the goal of career planning is not to have a step-by-step plan, but to maximize the opportunities for you to learn and to be in the right mindset to take advantage of opportunities as they come. In other words, its all about putting yourself out there, trying new things, and creating your own luck.This al l makes sense because, well, we dont know what the future holds. We dont even know what jobs will be created or eliminated 10 years from now. So, even though Im all for plans because its comforting to me to have one, its not the plans that are important. Whats important is keeping busy- meeting people, volunteering, experimenting with new hobbies, trying out side gigs- whatever you can do to maximize the opportunities youre exposed to and then having the boldness to go for one when it feels right.As the talented Shonda Rhimes said at her excellent commencement address to Dartmouths class of 2014I think a lot of people dream. And while they are busy dreaming, the really happy people, the really successful people, the really interesting, engaged, powerful people, are busy doing Ditch the dream and be a doer, not a dreamer. Maybe you know exactly what it is you dream of being, or maybe youre paralyzed because you have no idea what your passion is. The truth is, it doesnt matter. You do nt have to know. You just have to keep moving forward. You just have to keep doing something, seizing the next opportunity, staying open to trying something new. It doesnt have to fit your vision of the perfect job or the perfect life. Perfect is boring and dreams are not real. Just do.Photo of woman thinking courtesy of Shutterstock.

How to Contact Headhunters

How to Contact Headhunters How to Contact Headhunters In the first post of this series, I talked about how headhunters work. In the second post, we looked at how to find them. Finally, I want to walk you through how to get in touch, because the way you approach headhunters is key to your success or failure. Heres how I recommend going about it.1) Contact them by schmelzglasI recommend contacting headhunters by emaillele. Its easy for the headhunter to answer in herbei own time, it allows her to add your resume to the database even if she never responds to you, and it isnt as intrusive as a phone call. 2) Offer helpMake sure you mention that you would be happy to help them with any searches they are currently conducting. This is an open invite to contact you, since most headhunters are always looking for candidates. Instead of thinking of headhunters as a source of jobs, think of them as more people to add to your network. By reaching out and helping them, you make it much more likely they will contact you in the future. Not only have you created good feeling, but you have also shown that you are a respected resource within your field. 3) Be clear about what you want Headhunters receive hundreds of resumes a day, many of them totally unsuitable. Make it as easy as possible for them to know that you are perfect for their firm. Do this in your cover letter and/or email, as well as by writing a concise and informative subject heading for your email.4) Create an effective email subject line Dont contact headhunters with an email subject line that reads hi or resume. There is nothing compelling about that to a person with a thousand emails to read in a day.Do use a headline that explains exactly who you are Marketing Executive resume attached, or even better, Marketing Executive - Fortune 500 Experience - PG Training or Internet Marketer - named Innovator of the Year 2009. 5) Address the question of salary I dont usually recommend revealing salary requirements when w riting to potential employers (unless they insist) but when writing to headhunters its important to let them know what salary you are expecting. This helps them decide whether to contact you, and may encourage them to get in touch for positions they may otherwise have assumed were not at your pay level. Heres how to make salary expectations clear without limiting yourself too much. 6) Attach only a resume in the right format Dont attach lots of extra documents when you email a headhunter - they dont need to see your references or copies of performance reviews or work samples. Just send your resume in either Word or text-only. Do not send your resume in PDF format when mailing headhunters it wont be stored because most applicant tracking computer systems cant scan PDFs for keywords. 7) Write a strong introductory email Your introductory email is one of the most important things to get right in buchen to maximize the responses to your resume. Remember that headhunters are busy peop le who earn money only when they make a good placement. They have seen every self-promotional trick in the book and read every stale resume phrase you can imagine. This means your email to them must be direct, to the point, and informative about what they need to know. No BS, no fluff, no unnecessary self-promotion. And focused 100% on them and their needs.Here are a few examples of headhunter contact emails I might have sent back when I worked in Human Resources. The first is an email that I would have written if I were currently employed.Dear Paula,David Bloom mentioned that you frequently recruit HR executives within the fashion industry and suggested that you and I should meet. Even if you are not currently looking for a candidate like me, I have a great network and would be very happy to act as a resource for any other searches.I am currently employed as Senior Director for HR with XYZ Inc., where I lead a team of 10 HR professionals located across the country and serve an empl oyee bevlkerung of 1,800. My annual budget is $3M and I report to the COO. I am in no hurry to leave my current job, but I am beginning to explore options to take the next step in my career. My next move will probably be into a VP role and, while salary is not my first consideration, I should tell you that I have earned between $$$ and $$$ in recent years.I would prefer to stay within the fashion industry and would be open to relocation.If you have any time, Id love to meet up and see whether I might be a fit for any current or future searches, as well as to offer my assistance with any other fashion industry assignments. You can reach me at 914-555-5555 or by email at louisenet.com.Sincerely,Louise FletcherPS If you need to know more about my background before we meet, feel free to call me at any time. Youll also find lots of information on Google.Notice how this email is entirely focused on the headhunters needs. I start by telling her that I want to help even if she isnt currentl y looking for someone like me. This is very important because a good headhunter is always looking to expand his or her network and many will accept this offer. Following on from this, I quickly give her the facts she needs to determine whether I would be a good fit for any positions she has open - and I give her only the facts without any self-promotion. I close with an offer to meet, and again reiterate my desire to help her out with other searches. The whole email is short and to the point, and, most importantly, it doesnt convey a tone of desperation but rather an offer of mutual support.But what if you are currently unemployed and desperate for a job? Can you still convey that confidence?Lets revamp the contact email just a littleDear Paula,David Bloom mentioned that you frequently recruit HR executives within the fashion industry and suggested that you and I should meet. Even if you are not currently looking for a candidate like me, I have a great network and would be very happ y to act as a resource for any other searches.As Senior Director for HR with XYZ Inc., I led a team of 10 HR professionals located across the country and served an employee population of 1,800. My annual budget was $3M and I reported to the COO. As you may know, XYZ has gone through some major changes recently, and the HR department was relocated to the West Coast. Therefore, I am now exploring options for the next step in my career. I am open to positions at the Sr. Manager, Director or VP level and, while salary is not my first consideration, I should tell you that I have earned between $$$ and $$$ in recent years.I would prefer to stay within the fashion industry and would be open to relocation.If you have any time, Id love to meet up for coffee or a brief phone conversation to see whether I might be a fit for any current or future searches, as well as to offer my assistance with any other fashion industry assignments. You can reach me at 914-555-5555 or by email at louisenet.com .Sincerely,Louise FletcherPS If you need to know more about my background before we meet, feel free to call me at any time. Youll also find lots of information on Google.Only the middle two paragraphs have changed, but musiknote that they still convey confidence, while showing a little more flexibility in terms of the types of positions I will consider. The PS is very effective in this situation as it serves to emphasize confidence, a very important trait to convey when you are unemployed.In summary Professional headhunters can be a great resource, both short- and long-term, once you understand how they work, how to find them, and how to contact them effectively.Good luck