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5 ways of using your blog in the job search

5 ways of using your blog in the job search

5 ways of using your blog in the job search

5 ways of using your blog in the job search

by Talentese Team 21/05/2019

Whether you spend a lot of time developing a professional industry-related blog, casually post something in your personal social media profile or even seemingly “meaningless” spend your time collecting memes from your favourite TV-show, there can be actually lots of ways of benefiting from your blogging hobby in job search or even turning it to a career. Let’s take a look at some of them!

 

1. Create a video CV

If you have a Vlog on Youtube or enjoy filming some short videos for Instagram (even TikTok!), you’re probably familiar with some basic (or maybe advanced) video editing tricks. Use them to create a video CV – it could be a perfect fit not only for some creative positions but for lots of others – from a sales person to a manager. And even if mostly “hard” skills matter for your job and you don’t have to demonstrate your personality that much, having a video CV might still be beneficial – who do you think have more chances to remain in the HR’s memory, a person who used a standard Word template any recruiter has seen dozens times, or a person that has clearly put some efforts into job search?

Take a look at some creative video CV examples here.

 

2. Highlight your soft skills

The fact of having a successful blog alone might be turned into a real prove of you being a goal-oriented person, having good communication skills and a well-developed network etc. So don’t hesitate to brag about it, especially if your future job has something to do with media, communications, public relations, sales, digital – having a successful personal project look as good in your CV as demonstrating good professional achievements. And even if your blog is not successful (yet), you might still be willing to mention it to showcase, for example, your visual taste, photo editing or copywriting skills (or at least persistence – you haven’t stopped posting though no one reads you 😅)

 

3. Use your blog as a portfolio

Not only designers need a good and detailed visual demonstration of their achievements! Instead of trying to fit all your professional experience into a CV, find some more appropriate places for that: as long as reporters are not lining up to interview you about your success, become your own mass-media and publish some work-related case stories you’ve had, share tech tricks you’ve developed, tell about the projects you’ve lead etc. Be careful about not giving up some sensitive/confidential information and choose the format wisely: Instargram would be fine to show up some design sketches you’ve done, but for a closer look at the same project you would rather use, for example, Dribbble or Behance.

 

4. Ask your followers for recommendations

Having lots of followers might bring you not only a solid amount of likes (which obviously boosts your self-esteem and therefore also helps you in the job search 😉 ) but some real profit – it would never hurt to actually ask your followers directly if they know any job openings that might be a good fit for you. Given that you’ve probably invested some efforts in content development and blog community creation, you have (hopefully) gained some loyal readers/viewers that are willing to share some some useful tips on a job ad they’ve seen or even recommend you to someone in their company – especially if you have gained some professional authority by creating and publishing field-related content.

 

5. Turn blogging to a career

Though you might think of blogging as of a simple hobby, there’re lots of ways to turn it into a career or at least a part-time job which would bring you joy – there’s something you’ve started doing without being paid for it, right? And it’s not only blog monetisation you can benefit from – you can consider earning money using the skills you’ve acquired as a blogger. If you liked cutting videos or creating covers for your YouTube videos, you might as well offer these services to other people (e.g. on Fiverr), sell your articles and offer “ghost blogging” (e.g. Freelance writing).

 

How do you use blogging in the job search?

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The highest paying jobs in Germany 2019

The highest paying jobs in Germany 2019

The highest paying jobs in Germany 2019

The highest paying jobs in Germany 2019

by Talentese Team 03/05/2019

Nobody chooses a job just for a good salary, but having a proper income belongs to the most important factors of being satisfied with your career, isn’t it?

Recent researches have revealed the highest paying jobs in Germany – let’s take a look at the list of professionals that are receiving the biggest salary!

HIGHEST PAYING JOBS IN GERMANY 2019

Doctors (both seniors and regular medical specialists) are traditionally on top positions – no doubts that they deserve good compensation for many years spent studying and their daily duties which are obviously not easy.

Experienced sales professionals are in extreme demand – companies are ready to pay good money for employees with well-developed network that may be turned into clients.

Financial experts and skilled business professionals are in the list as well – working as an actuary, mergers&acquisitions specialist or a trader will get you a desirable salary as well.

Are you looking for a job in Germany? We can help!

Are you looking for a job in Germany? We can help!

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Looking for a job in Germany as a foreigner: 3 secrets you don’t know

Looking for a job in Germany as a foreigner: 3 secrets you don’t know

Looking for a job in Germany as a foreigner: 3 secrets you don’t know

Looking for a job in Germany as a foreigner: 3 secrets you don’t know

by Talentese Team 28/03/2019

Looking for a job in Germany might seem really similar to looking for a job in any other country: at least the main steps like writing CV, applying, interviewing etc. are exactly the same. Though there are some “typisch Deutsch” things on every stage that tend to be underestimated by foreigners: keeping in mind these “unspoken” rules might actually make the process of looking for a job in Germany as a foreigner much easier for you.

 

1. CV: your picture matters

Though you’ll never see in the job description a formal requirement to include your picture in the CV, that’s what all HRs are looking for and something that will increase the chances that your application won’t be left unnoticed. In every photo studio in Germany you’ll find a special service called “Bewerbungsfoto” and you should probably spend 15 minutes of your time to actually use it. Traditional “Bewerbungsfoto” that is German headhunters expect to see is slightly less formal than the one you would make for a passport though it should be much more official than just your face cut out from a blurry group party picture.

“Dress for the role” is an expression applicable to your CV picture – if you’re looking for a senior position in a corporate, don’t hesitate to put your best suit and tie on, and if you’re applying for a job in a startup, some business casual outfit would be a perfect compromise.

 

 2. Cover letter is not just a formality

In some countries it might be common to just write a couple of standard sentences “Dear Sirs, My name is X, I am applying for Y, please find the CV attached”, but Germany isn’t one of them, especially if you’re looking for a job in a “traditional” German company. Cover letters matter much more as well as all the other documents you’re sending – for example, your certificates, recommendation letter etc. Traditionally all documents should be signed by you or the person that has given you the recommendation.

In addition to your motivation to apply, cover letter should also include the detailed description of the relevant qualities/experience that allow you to justify why you might be the perfect fit for the job. Try to actually profit from this seemingly boring writing – maybe HR doesn’t know much about your previous employer (especially if you have been working for a local firm in another country), so you should both describe your job responsibilities and mention company specifics. 

 

3. Your German is important only if it’s really good

If you’re considering Germany as a country to work and live in, you have most probably started learning German at some point (or at least have tried to). Would it be seen as a competitive advantage if you have A1-A2 level? Unfortunately, any German that is not a nearly perfect German is basically “no German”.

Of course you can mention a basic German level in your CV, which might be seen as your willingness to integrate and learn. But as long as your German is not good enough to actually use it as a main communication language, don’t try to impress an HR and translate your whole CV to German (while you can actually only say “Hallo, ich heiße John, ich bin 30”). CV in German clearly signalises that you have professional fluency and if you don’t, better submit a CV in English (proofread and without any spelling mistakes).

 

Do you have chances to find the job if your German is far from perfect? Sure!

At Talentese we offer a lot of English-speaking jobs in companies willing to employ foreigners!

Get started here.

 

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Changing your career path? Job hunting techniques and resume tips for career shifters

Changing your career path? Job hunting techniques and resume tips for career shifters

Changing your career path? Job hunting techniques and resume tips for career shifters

Changing your career path? Job hunting techniques and resume tips for career shifters

What should I write? Will they find this interesting? Is this important to them? Maybe I shouldn’t submit this. Maybe this is not for me. Maybe I’m stuck here.

Questions turn to doubts as we try to come up with the perfect resume.

This is true for anybody, but most especially for those who have zero experience or, worst, an unrelated work-experience – those in a middle of a career shift.

Fresh graduates often get the advantage of starting with a clean slate. That they can be groomed into the role.

Career shifters do not.

So, what can you do? Should you just scratch the experience off your resume and pretend it didn’t happen. Come up with some crazy story to make up for that lost time.

NO! You can still make that experience still to your advantage.

It is a case of improving your branding as an employee.

 

What you did does not matter

…as much as how you did them and the lessons you took away.

The key, I believe, is to focus on the skills and behaviours, not simply on the tasks.

I’ve reviewed so many resumes that focused too much on the actual tasks:

  • I did so-and-so task
  • I prepared a monthly report for my manager
  • I operated the cash register and took orders from customers

Don’t get me wrong, these are wonderful things but they may not necessarily translate to anything in that new role you are applying for.

 

Transferrable Skills

You need to highlight the transferrable skills you have acquired from your past experience.

A transferable skill is expertise that you can use across a wide range of industries. These are skills and abilities that are relevant and helpful across different areas of life: socially, professionally and at school.

Some call these ‘portable skills’.

There’s a long list of transferrable skills out there but my favourites are:

Communication

Effective communication skills are vital in almost every industry. The ability to articulate your ideas and explain them to other stakeholders in the company. This includes being a good listener as well.

Analytical

Attending and learning from trainings is great, but this can only take you so far. The ability to come up with new solutions by solving different problems that clients face daily is more useful than any training out there. The ability to think analytically and critically is certainly essential in any role.

Leadership

Although not everyone will be in leadership positions, most roles often have require some aspect of leadership. The ability to take responsibility, delegate tasks effectively as well as set priorities or yourself and other team members is clearly beneficial for any team / company.

 

How do I let recruiters know this?

Let’s go back to our example earlier but, this time, go beyond the tasks.

  • I did so-and-so task that helped our counterparts so-and-so.

This shows an awareness of the purpose of the task, not just its completion

  • I compiled and analyzed monthly data that allowed me to prepare recommendations for my manager

This shows both analytical as well as communication skills

  • I communicated directly with customers, helping them with their orders and making sure that they have a great experience at our store

This shows both communication skills and some leadership skills – taking responsibility for the customer’s experience

 

One final tip: Good managers love people who always look for ways to improve on things. identifying concrete ways you have helped improve your team’s current process is always a plus.

Use these job hunting techniques and make sure your resume is designed in a smart way – that’s your shortcut in the career path!

Best of Luck!

Ryan Salvanera is the co-founder and chief tech guy of Wissen Solomon, a consulting firm that aims to create abundance through the empowerment and growth of MSMEs. Ryan is also a personal coach at Coach Rye and specializes in coaching high-performing leaders and entrepreneurs.

Ryan Salvanera

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12 Hacks to Get Noticed by Potential Employers and Land Interviews

12 Hacks to Get Noticed by Potential Employers and Land Interviews

12 Hacks to Get Noticed by Potential Employers and Land Interviews 

12 Hacks to Get Noticed by Potential Employers and Land Interviews

by Alice Berg 31/10/2018

Applying process is such a maze! Every applicant passes through approximately 15 stages before landing a job. At first, you waste plenty of time searching for a vacancy, then have to deal with monotonous paperwork, make it through the interview and then finally… somebody takes your place. The recruiters say they had already noticed someone. “We made a decision to employ the other person. Try next time.”- they explain bitterly and shrug shoulders.

Even if you never had such an unpleasant experience, you still will surely find 12 effective job search strategies helpful. Become that “someone” and learn how to get noticed by recruiters! Let new offers pour down on you!

 

1. Polish Your Social Media Presence

It’s not a secret that recruiters check your social media accounts. Social networking has becoming a new type of the CV – it’s your online resume that may influence an employer’s decision in both a positive and a negative way. According to CareerBuilder survey, 70% of companies use social networking sites to hire new employees. Another research says a regular update of the LinkedIn profile makes you 18 times more likely to be found by recruiters.

So, what do employers want to find on your page? They love checking out the content you repost and create, the pages and personalities you follow, how open-minded and sociable you are with your followers. Thus, you can assure your potential employer you are the professional who is interested in the recent turnovers within the industry, shares the opinion regarding the relavant news. Popular blogs related to your occupation might give you an idea of what to post and how. Avoid placing meaningless and inappropriate information; keep things fresh by doing regular updates.

 

2. Become a Regular Visitor of Meetups

Successful people communicate effectively. It’s the networking on various events that improve your social skills and expends the list of valuable contacts. Search for the upcoming meetups on Facebook or specialized professional sites, pay attention to billboards, check out the company’s social networks and website. It’s a great chance to be noticed by potential employers and other authoritative people. Think about the kinds of places where your potential employer routinely looks for business, so you would you are on the same page.

 

3. Join Workshops

Boost your knowledge and get to know the best pieces of advice for job seekers attending seminars. It’s an excellent opportunity to master new skills, to share your ideas, to extend the network relationships. For example, visit the lecture on how to get an interview. Such on-the-job training will teach you useful things about the chosen field and show new ways to get a job. Moreover, there’s even a chance the speaker you’re listening to is your future boss. Thus, be as active as possible. Take part in any activity, answer questions and put your own. Dare reach the speaker once the seminar is over – discuss various issues in detail, demonstrate your professionalism on the topic. However, avoid dragging in useless information and asking too primitive questions.

 

4. Go for Online Portfolio

LinkedIn and social networks have been proven as highly important, but you can go further setting up a mini-website. It doesn’t require high tech skills. Start with a landing page — make it interesting and eye-catching, put your main information there. You may place your best works on that page or create a couple of additional pages. Anyway, don’t make it too complex. Employers don’t have time to study it for hours. Don’t forget to put your website on resume, social networking pages, business cards. Use the professional keywords to make it easy-to-find.

 

5. Be Active in Industry Groups

It looks like “be active” has become a motto of the article. The point is that passive people rarely attract good offers from employers. Miracles do happen, but usually, you have to be proactive to get noticed. Turn on your laptop once again, find all the industry networks and forums. Be everywhere. Conferences, online, offline – lthe more visible you are, the better. Participate in discussions, leave comments, ask about a job opening. Let your potential coworkers and employers know you both in real life and virtually.

 

6. Sort out Recommendations

Launching a new job search, think of adding value to your application with professional recommendations. Who can put in a good word for you? Contact your ex-employers, professors at the university, coordinators of volunteering projects you previously participated, your internship managers, etc. If nothing works out, use LinkedIn to find people who may agree to help.

 

7. Collaborate with Friends

Reach your relatives and friends to figure out if they or their contacts might help you. It doubles your chances to find a new job. Your cousin’s university friend may well be the principal of the department where you crave to work. Let everyone know that you’re looking for job. Your mother may accidentally buy the newspaper with your dream job announcement. To inform more people, make a Facebook post. In a friendly way tell others that you would appreciate any suggestions.

 

8. Send Emails and Private Messages

Find the reason to send a message. Congratulate the company with the anniversary or successful project, commend them for the useful and high-quality content or products they create. That is to say, you intervene with the company getting noticed at the same time. Be sincere and honest.

 

9. Volunteering Can Help a Lot!

People choose to volunteer for a variety of reasons. In fact, the more we give, the happier we feel. New experience and additional lines in “Volunteering” for your resume is just a tip of the iceberg. The real reasons to sacrifice your time are much deeper. You meet new people, get to know their lives and stories of ups and downs, improve your skills and gain new knowledge. It’s a common practice to keep working with people you met when volunteering. In addition, employers look favorably on candidates who volunteer and show their honest willing to get experience in a field.

 

10. Put Your Best Foot Forward

One of the most creative ways to get an employer’s attention is proposing interesting ideas and prospective of the business that the company’s team hadn’t thought before. They will gladly agree to devote you an hour if your ideas worth it. Especially, startup leaders. Provide creative suggestions, give valuable and timely feedback, and bring new strategies that the company may implement on the table. There is a chance of landing a dream job not getting job interviews- the company will invite you as an expert.

 

11. Be Ready to Get an Interview

Once you’re finally getting a job interview, impress the employer in person. First, be honest. Share your strength and passions, but also be candid about any shortcuts. Be positive since a cheerful and cooperative human is an asset in any role. Come to the interview prepared. Draw up the list of possible question the managers ask and come up with possible answers. Gather all the documents required.

 

12. Prove That You Are an Expert in Your Niche

None of job hunting tips will work out if you lack knowledge, desire, and qualification. Chase a goal to become an expert at what you do, never stop learning. Prove that you’re a valuable candidate ascribing your success to hard work. Call upon your willingness to grow to succeed.

Most importantly, don’t get down not getting a job this time. Take the sting out of it. It’s a chance to try something else, something new and exciting. Variety is a spice of life.

Alice Berg is a blogger and a career advisor at Skillroads, who received a degree in Social Work and Applied Social Studies. Now she helps people to find their own way in life, gives career advice and guidance, helps young people to prepare for their careers. You can find Alice on Twitter @AliceBerg234.

Alice Berg

https://skillroads.com/

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How should I describe my first job experience in my CV?

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How should I describe my first job experience in my CV if it’s not directly related to my career? (e.g. I have worked as a bartender/salesman etc.)

How should describe my first job experience in my CV if it’s not directly related to my career? (e.g. I have worked as a bartender/salesman etc.) 

by Priya Thakkar 20/09/2018

Maybe you’re an a couple of years into your vocation with only a couple of employments added to your repertoire. Possibly you’re an accomplished proficient taking a gander at rolling out a really real vocation improvement. Or then again, maybe you entered the military appropriate out of secondary school, and now you’re searching for your first non military personnel work.

Notwithstanding your particular conditions, now you’re wondering how to explain work experience in resume and managing a very regular issue: You know precisely which occupations you’d get a kick out of the chance to apply for, however the lion’s share of your work understanding as yet appears to be totally superfluous.

Trust me, essentially everyone’s been there. I filtered through openings when I was crisp out of school—with work encounter that likened to low maintenance pizza server and somebody who did the greater part of the snort work at a law office—and getting baffled by the way that I could never have the capacity to influence myself to look amazing (or) sufficiently applicable to try and get my foot in the entryway.

Truly, it can be to some degree debilitating. Be that as it may, if up until the point when this point you’ve responded by either crying, reviling, or considering tossing your PC out the window, it’s the ideal opportunity for a genuine change.

Fortunately, there are a couple of various strategies and procedures you can use to make even the apparently most random experience seem more relevant to the position you’re applying for. Take after these six stages, and you’ll be furnished with a resume that influences you to resemble an easy decision fit. Let’s learn how to explain work experience in resume!

 

1. Concentrate the Job Description

 

In the first place, we should begin with the self-evident. Before you can center around fitting your data to fit a specific part, you first need an unmistakable thought of what precisely the organization’s hunting down.

This implies you have to peruse the expected set of responsibilities with the utmost attention to detail. Print it out and get a highlighter in the event that it causes you!

I realize that sets of responsibilities can feel a bit of overpowering, especially if your mind’s simply fixating on the greater part of the ways you’re unfit. In this way, to make this less demanding, snatch a scratch pad and spotlight on recognizing only these two key components: The real duties of this position and the center aptitudes that are required.

Once you’ve zoned in on those stray pieces, you’ll have a vastly improved handle on how you can properly change and tailor your own particular data to be more appropriate.

 

2. Make a Special Section

 

Let be honest—resumes are intended to be anything but difficult to peruse, which implies they can likewise be fairly constraining. You can regularly feel like you’re endeavoring to pack a profession story that merits a novel into a one-page, bulleted record.

While a large number of the customary standards still apply, don’t be hesitant to play around with the structure and organization to discover something that suits your vocation history best.

To make a compelling career story, you should have an additional ‘special qualifications’ in your resume, which will attract consideration regarding the particular abilities that are most applicable to the activity you need.

This way, you possess your story, and you show to the procuring director that you’ve considered the manner in which your different encounters line up with the position.

 

3. Spotlight on Problems and Results

 

Obviously, your resume needs to share your real aptitudes and past encounters. In any case, instead of releasing visual cues that look as though they’re duplicated straightforwardly from an expected set of responsibilities, put the dominant part of your accentuation on the outcomes you accomplished—as opposed to only your duties.

Each organization needs individuals who can issue comprehend. So, don’t simply list your experience. Additionally compose what issues you comprehended or comes about you acquired due to that experience.

While your abilities may not really interpret, achievement certainly does. Along these lines, make a point to satisfactorily accentuate that you can effectively address issues and create comes about—that is noteworthy, paying little heed to industry or position.

 

4. Share Your Success

 

Yes, tailoring your resume is undeniably important for making your experience seem as relevant as possible. But, don’t always rank relevancy ahead of your most impressive accomplishments. You don’t want your desire to appear like a perfect fit to limit you into only including the things that obviously and seamlessly complement the job description.

Are you confused yet? Don’t be. Instead just remember this golden rule: While you want to appear relevant, you also want to be impressive.

So, don’t skip listing that prestigious medal you received in the military or that major presentation you conducted simply because they don’t fall directly in line with the job description. Hiring managers can still recognize (and be impressed by!) your success and achievements, even if they’re a little bit out of the box.

Influencing your experience to appear to be important to the activity you’re applying for—especially in case you’re changing ventures or have a sporadic vocation history to date—can be a test. However, it’s a verifiably essential piece of the procedure.

Hope these tips on how to explain work experience in resume will help you to crack your next interview to get you ahead on your career in right direction.

Write down your views in below comment section!

 

Priya works as a freelancer – a Social Media Marketing Consultant, a Social Media Branding Strategist and a frequent Blogger. She has a flair for, using Social Media Platforms at its best for various businesses. She is hardworking, competent, quality focus and experimental in her domain with a beautiful motto – ‘To Build and Behold’. Follow her on Twitter @PriyaJ_ or LinkedIn 

Priya Thakkar

https://twitter.com/PriyaJ_

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