An Interview with Jeff Browning (Austin Ventures) and Liz Handlin (Ultimate Resumes)

An Interview with Jeff Browning (Austin Ventures) and Liz Handlin (Ultimate Resumes) I get Liz Handlins newsletter.  She gave me permission to post this from her newsletter I thought it was interesting. Liz says these are her questions and his answers over coffee (learn more about Jeff Browning here): Do you read profiles on resumes?No. Most of them are not useful to me. I want to know about specific domain experience, scope of job, and your accomplishments. Metrics matter. Add metrics to your resume.   I also want to see some information about your employers  because I havent heard of every company in the world. What does the company do? How large is it? Is it public or private? When someone sends you a resume how long do you look at it to determine if you are interested in reading more of it? About 5 seconds. What are you looking for in resumes that are submitted to Austin Ventures for jobs in your portfolio companies? Well first you have to understand that most of our job descriptions are VERY granular and specific.   Domain (industry) experience is the most important thing I look for so if you dont have the domain experience we are looking for at the moment you may not be a fit for the immediate need we have, but could be at a later time. We also look for individuals who have actually worked in early-stage start ups before. We want someone has seen this movie before and knows how it goes because we need our executives to be able to hit the ground running.   If you have never worked in an early stage start up before you just dont know what you dont know. Individuals who have spent an entire career in large corporations sometimes think they could easily make the jump to early stage start-ups but its just not usually the case. Do you think that someone who has spent their entire career in Fortune 500 companies could be successful at an early-stage start up? Well anything is possible and large company executives have many talents and valuable experiences. It also depends on the stage of the company.  But, generally speaking, we find that executives who are the most successful in leading start-ups have previously been employed by other start-up companies. What advice do you have for big-company executives who want to switch gears and work in a start-up environment? If you are an executive at a large company like, say, IBM, and you want to work in an early-stage start-up, my advice is to take it in steps.   The analogy I use is diving. You learn to snorkel first and then you slowly learn to dive deeper and deeper.   The same can be said of the start-up world. If you are a big-company executive you might try transitioning to a mid-sized company before diving into the world of early-stage companies.   Start ups and large corporations are totally different professional experiences. What DONT you want to see in a resume? I dont like to read functional resumes because they are confusing.   I want the resume to be simple, straightforward, and to the point.   No graphs. No charts. No hard-to-find dates or metrics.   Think about how to make the resume easy for me to get the information I need to decide whether or not to call you. Dont make it confusing or colorful because its distracting and I dont have time to try to decipher confusing resumes. What surprises you about the job seekers to whom you talk? I am surprised at how many people contact me about jobs and when I tell them that I dont have a position for them currently and dont really have any ideas for them about job openings they have no other questions for me. They dont ask me about the Austin marketplace which I know well. They dont come prepared with questions other than do you know of any job openings.  I enjoy executives that have done their homework and come prepared with thoughtful questions.   Its also really nice when they end the conversation with is there anything I can do to help you? Liz says Jeff may see more resumes than any other recruiter in Texas so his perspective on what a resume should say and how it should look is crucial information for job seekers. Thanks for sharing Liz and Jeff! An Interview with Jeff Browning (Austin Ventures) and Liz Handlin (Ultimate Resumes) I get Liz Handlins newsletter.  She gave me permission to post this from her newsletter I thought it was interesting. Liz says these are her questions and his answers over coffee (learn more about Jeff Browning here): Do you read profiles on resumes?No. Most of them are not useful to me. I want to know about specific domain experience, scope of job, and your accomplishments. Metrics matter. Add metrics to your resume.   I also want to see some information about your employers  because I havent heard of every company in the world. What does the company do? How large is it? Is it public or private? When someone sends you a resume how long do you look at it to determine if you are interested in reading more of it? About 5 seconds. What are you looking for in resumes that are submitted to Austin Ventures for jobs in your portfolio companies? Well first you have to understand that most of our job descriptions are VERY granular and specific.   Domain (industry) experience is the most important thing I look for so if you dont have the domain experience we are looking for at the moment you may not be a fit for the immediate need we have, but could be at a later time. We also look for individuals who have actually worked in early-stage start ups before. We want someone has seen this movie before and knows how it goes because we need our executives to be able to hit the ground running.   If you have never worked in an early stage start up before you just dont know what you dont know. Individuals who have spent an entire career in large corporations sometimes think they could easily make the jump to early stage start-ups but its just not usually the case. Do you think that someone who has spent their entire career in Fortune 500 companies could be successful at an early-stage start up? Well anything is possible and large company executives have many talents and valuable experiences. It also depends on the stage of the company.  But, generally speaking, we find that executives who are the most successful in leading start-ups have previously been employed by other start-up companies. What advice do you have for big-company executives who want to switch gears and work in a start-up environment? If you are an executive at a large company like, say, IBM, and you want to work in an early-stage start-up, my advice is to take it in steps.   The analogy I use is diving. You learn to snorkel first and then you slowly learn to dive deeper and deeper.   The same can be said of the start-up world. If you are a big-company executive you might try transitioning to a mid-sized company before diving into the world of early-stage companies.   Start ups and large corporations are totally different professional experiences. What DONT you want to see in a resume? I dont like to read functional resumes because they are confusing.   I want the resume to be simple, straightforward, and to the point.   No graphs. No charts. No hard-to-find dates or metrics.   Think about how to make the resume easy for me to get the information I need to decide whether or not to call you. Dont make it confusing or colorful because its distracting and I dont have time to try to decipher confusing resumes. What surprises you about the job seekers to whom you talk? I am surprised at how many people contact me about jobs and when I tell them that I dont have a position for them currently and dont really have any ideas for them about job openings they have no other questions for me. They dont ask me about the Austin marketplace which I know well. They dont come prepared with questions other than do you know of any job openings.  I enjoy executives that have done their homework and come prepared with thoughtful questions.   Its also really nice when they end the conversation with is there anything I can do to help you? Liz says Jeff may see more resumes than any other recruiter in Texas so his perspective on what a resume should say and how it should look is crucial information for job seekers. Thanks for sharing Liz and Jeff!

Work Overload 7 Solutions When You Are Swamped

Work Overload 7 Solutions When You Are Swamped Two weeks ago our team partnered with a new wealth management firm. It has been an incredible transition thus far and I can tell will be one of the most memorable experiences of my career. Amidst this exciting change, I am overloaded more than usual at work. I have discovered some solutions to manage this: Gather intel at the onset of  work overload I eagerly called my Dad from outside yogurtology (it is a bad idea for me to keep ice cream or froyo in the freezer) the evening after break day. My father was also in finance so I knew he would appreciate and understand what resigning and joining a new firm is all about. He agreed that it was exciting and also shared his experience with leaving/joining a new firm: “It’s a lot of paperwork,” he said seriously. As you approach an influx of work, ask trusted sources for information and recommendations to mentally prepare for this adjustment. Chameleon who communicates Thanks to my 7 years in account leadership roles with a few Chicago marketing agencies, I am a seasoned in project management and instilling  process. When there is a roadblock, I can identify it, and in this case, express it to our leader so we can solve for it. It is important to your productivity and to the success of the group to do this! Shortly after I voiced my observation, we had a team pow-wow and modified our process to ensure we are maximizing productivity and adhering to our timeline. This nimbleness is crucial during  high influx  of work. Do not run yourself down After 12 days in a row of work, my mind and body needed a rest. I awoke with a sore throat (paging manuka honey to the homeopathic resume) and I could sense the  onset of a foggy head cold. I also felt anxious about getting my laundry done, grocery shopping, meal prepping, etc.  I took Saturday and Sunday off, reminded myself that good sleep is vital, and arrived bright eyed and ready to rock on Monday morning. Hydrate, eat healthily, workout This seems obvious; you will feel wonderful and your body will appreciate you if you drink water and eat nutritious foods.  Our temporary office has what feels like those last 100 meters of the track, which is excellent  for my FitBit steps and daily activity. It is also not a substitute for working out. Do I workout 6 days a week for 45 minutes to an hour like I prefer? Hell no! During this transition time there is definitely a shift in my schedule. I have accepted this and altered my workout time  to accommodate: I squeezed in a quick 2 mile run outside and booked a couple of mornings at Orange Theory. These appointments are in the app, on my calendar, I am showing up no matter the 12-hour day prior  or day ahead. Reflect Navigating unknown territory can be frustrating, especially for type A peeps like me! We love to know what to expect and plan accordingly. I play to win, and not  knowing the rules ahead of time has been a humbling experience and wonderful opportunity for personal growth. What can you learn in a swirling,  ever-changing scenario? Can you ask more questions? Can you learn to be more curious?   Trust yourself to manage priorities Our built-in intelligence systems are usually on-point. When my best friend from high school whom I had not heard from in a couple of months called yesterday at 6:30pm, I was still at work but I answered (we were not in a meeting). She confirmed all was well and I asked if I could call back later or this weekend. Work is important, meaningful, and certainly a priority. Your loved ones are, too! Make time for them and set expectations during this phase of increased workload. Gratefully, my tribe is understanding and supportive of this shift in our schedule. Check yourself How do YOU decompress? Maybe you watch criminal justice documentaries at the end of a long day. Maybe you meditate while running. Maybe you journal. Maybe you call your Mom or a friend. Maybe you view some inspirational YouTube vids. Whatever it is that makes you feel amazing, ensure you open  and close each day with masses of self-love.

Are You Working to Make This a Better Planet - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Are You Working to Make This a Better Planet - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career When I began business, I aspired to helping communities at large overcome the difficult learning curve of business and sales by sharing what I know to work well. My desire has always been to help others become successful in a shorter period of time. The subset of this is to give a percentage of earnings to medical research helping another segment of our population. Responsible for motivation and inspiration This past week I had the privilege to be coached by Les Brown. The people he attracted into his speech workshop were amazing in their own right. At one point, Les stated that it is our duty to work to motivate and inspire others coming up behind us or those of whom just need a helping hand. He challenged us to get clear on our mission statement, post it on our websites and verbally communicate how we help others in order to make this a better planet. I took the words of advice of becoming clear in order to communicate my mission better to heart. As a salesperson, it is very important to attract the right clientele with whom you feel a synergy. By communicating clearly and specifically, you are bound to attract the very people with whom you wish to work. Apply the clear communication skills to Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites and you will be well-connected in a short period of time. In fact I have seen great results coming from clear communication and striving to help others already working. For example, instead of putting useless information out on Twitter, I provide helpful hints and most of the time without a link; simply helpful tips. A small percentage of the time I offer a shorter tip with a link. My following has grown tremendously, as have friendships and the list of great opportunities. My books sell well due to sharing everything I know to work well holding nothing back. People from around the world write to say how the books motivated and inspired them to keep on pursuing their goals. As more copies sell, I will be able to increase the sum sent to medical research. Small changes and big differences Everything I agree to undertake is met with 100% focus and resolve to do my best and more than meet the needs of others who hire me. Are you doing the same? What small changes may you implement that will make a big difference on this planet? This is another type of collaboration. Should many of us agree, although may work independently, when we combine our forces by helping others, we will make a huge difference for generations to come. The side note here is when you work to help others, business development becomes a natural experience â€" you get to enjoy the Smooth Sale! Author: Elinor Stutz is the CEO of Smooth Sale, LLC, is a motivational speaker, and the author of the International Best-Selling book, “Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results” published by Sourcebooks. Elinor’s new book “HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews” is based upon years of community service teaching job-seekers how to land the job they desire. Elinor provides team sales training, private coaching, and consultation.

Active Listening Skills for the Resume (+ Examples) - Algrim.co

Active Listening Skills for the Resume (+ Examples) - Algrim.co Active listening skills are becoming one of the most sought after soft skills in the workplace. Why? Because it allows efficient collaboration between team members and provides a bridge of respect between your colleagues Listening is not often thought of as a skill. But it is. In fact, many of the top CEO’s and leaders in the U.S. receive executive coaching where they learn to hone in on their active listening abilities. So what is active listening? And how do you tell an employer that you have these skills? And how do you speak to these skills during your interview? There are a lot of questions that you might have as a job seeker. Those questions and more will be answered in this writeup. Before digging into understanding how to tell your employer about your skills, it’s critical that you understand the difference between listening and active listening. What is the Difference Between Listening and Active Listening? Listening is the act of hearing someone. You might be listening to someone when you’re talking on the phone, in a casual manner. Your attention might be spread between the phone discussion you are having and potentially cooking yourself dinner. You are still listening to the other person on the phone. And you are hearing what they have to say while being able to respond to it. The biggest misconception about active listening versus listening is that it makes us feel as though regular “listening” doesn’t pay attention to the speaker. That isn’t true. Active listening, is the process of trying to comprehend a concept, idea, or notion that another party is trying to express to you. Active listening is a skill that’s best used when two people are engaged in a conversation where there are no clear directives. For example, a philosophical discussion, would require a heavy amount of active listening. Because as one party speaks, it would require the other party to go beyond simply what the other person said, and dive deep into the meaning of the communication rather than the communication itself. In short, active listening is the process of focusing on the other party. And doing so during moments where clarity might not exist in the conversation. Why is Active Listening Important to Employers? Employers want to challenge their employees to drive business results forward. And during that process, you often have to engage in thoughtful, conceptual discussion. And active listening is the only way to ensure that team members are working together in a unified vision. The more that active listening becomes part of the process, the more opportunity it is for ideas to be turned into reality. And that can be beneficial for the business because it allows for innovation, improvement, and success. Active Listening as a Process (Examples of Active Listening) The process of active listening is important to comprehend. Your future employer won’t just want to know that you have “active listening skills”. Listing them on your resume alone, for example, won’t cut it. You’ll need to be able to speak to how you actively listen. The basics of this process are: Asking questions When someone is communicating, the process of asking questions to better understand and round-out your understanding and comprehension of what the other party is trying to verbally describe to you. Repeating back the concept Repeating the concept back to the other person to have them confirm that you comprehend what they’re attempting to communicate to you is a key part of active listening. Taking time to think about what they said If you aren’t taking the time to repeat in your mind the words that were spoken by the other party, then you aren’t providing enough time for active listening to occur. The need to respond quickly is one that is part of regular listening, not active listening. Taking your time and responding when you absorb all of the information the other party mentioned to you is part of active listening. Observing the other parties emotions or feelings Understanding how the conversation is being emphasized can be a key indicator of what is trying to be discussed. Is it a point of stress? A point of friction? Happiness? Or something else? Observe the other parties body language queues. Vocal tone A part of the observation process but listening to how someone is speaking. Is their voice raising? Is it sounding like it was spoken with a slow demeanor? The act of listening to the vocal tone can be helpful in deterring what might be causing the communication to occur. Reaching consensus The process of reaching a point where you can move past the discussion is part of active listening. Either you repeating or promoting a resolution to the discussion after you’ve clearly comprehended it. This will cause reaching consensus. And asking the other party if they feel the direction is a positive one. Managing expectations During an active listening conversation, ensuring that the other party has a firm understanding of potential outcomes. Outcomes that are big or small. This helps the other party feel resolved as well as mitigates future conflict. Providing affirmation The notion that you are confirming to the other party that you are doing your best to understand the concept they are describing to you and affirming that you are listening is a key indicator to active listening. Providing eye contact and body language support Making eye contact, not being distracted, not folding your arms or feeling uncomfortable. These are all ways to show that you are actively listening to the other party. It’s imperative that you understand these concepts as they apply to active listening. Why? Because your employer will ask you how to practice active listening and these are what you may want to bring up as your methods for performing it How to Show Your Employer Active Listening Skills Listing “active listening skills” under the skills section of your resume won’t be enough. Employers read skills sections of resumes but they often don’t believe them. And rightfully so. The method normally taken by job seekers to confirm soft skills is to express previous business scenarios where you were able to use these soft skills. But with active listening, describing a story or business scenario where you practiced it is going to be difficult. The best way to show your employer that you have active listening skills is to practice is upon the interviewer when you interview with them. If the interviewer is asking you questions that you don’t fully understand. Or want to get clarity on the ask in order to answer properly, spend the time to go through the active listening process described above. For example, don’t shy away from asking the interviewer a clarifying question before you answer the original interview question they gave you. The interviewer won’t look at that as a negative thing. They won’t interpret that practice as you not answering their questions. They should appreciate the fact that you are spending the time to understand what their desired answer looks like in order to provide it for them. There’s no better way to show active listening skills than to do that. Active listening is a key part of being a great employee and having the opportunity to become a great leader. If you perform this function on your manager, you might find that you learn more from them. Absorb more concepts. Learn more about the business. And be able to more appropriately act when the time is right. This provides you the opportunity to be more performance-based with your work. And that’s great for both you and the business.

How to Find a Professional Resume Writing Service

How to Find a Professional Resume Writing ServiceResume writing service services are a wise choice when seeking employment. However, one should not just sign up with any company that promises to take care of your job application. Make sure the service you use has the necessary credentials and they will help you make the best possible impression on the prospective employer.Hiring a resume writing service is a great way to get a professional looking job application that will provide you with the necessary attention needed. A professional resume will give the appearance of an employee that knows what they are doing and has good communication skills. Professional looking resumes can improve the chance of getting a job interview, which could lead to a new job offer.When choosing a resume writing service, it is important to understand how they work. Some services offer only editing and proofreading services. They may also have very few employees, so if you don't want to pay out the nose to get a new job offer, you may not want to use them.If you're in need of extensive editing, you should consider using a resume writing service. The services you choose should be able to provide not only editing but as well as proofreading and formatting. You should choose a service that has access to many different types of formats for resumes.You should also consider the type of service you are hiring. Some companies are specialized in writing and only offer editing services. Others offer both editing and formatting services, so if you do want to send the resume in another format, you should be able to get it done.Another thing to consider is the reputation of the company you are considering hiring. A company that has a good reputation and has good reviews on its website is a reputable company. It will also be a legitimate company, with an established business that does not have any financial problems. For those who have a small business, or even a home-based business, a service tha t provides both editing and formatting can be a lifesaver. The type of company you select should be able to write resumes that are similar to your business type. A service that writes resumes to meet all your requirements can help you get the job you want.Choose a resume writing service that specializes in writing resumes to improve your chances of getting a job. Those that focus on one particular field or offer a combination of resume writing and editing services are the best choice. A little research will help you find the best resume writing service that meets your needs.

Secret to Career Success - CareerEnlightenment.com

Secret to Career Success Imagine your professional self as a company. Sounds kind of weird, right? After all, businesses are something you work for, not something you actually are.In fact, the line between individual and company is already blurry: think of the thousands of freelancers, contractors, and self-employed whose entire business is themselves. The most successful of them operate under the exact same principles as massive multinationals, and it is these principles that regular employees could also benefit from implementing.Indeed, the secret to successfully developing your career is to corporatize it. Skeptical? Read on:BrandingWhy do companies pour so much time and money into their brand? Because in this digitalized, globalized world of nearly limitless choice, you need to stand out from the crowd in order to attract attention. No matter how good you are at your job, there will be hundreds if not thousands of other people who are equally competent. To be chosen by hiring managers and clients you ne ed to go a step beyond the rest, and you do that by cultivating a winning personal brand.Our personal brand is something we’re already developing unconsciously. We project to others the sort of person we are by everything from the clothing we choose to wear to the locations we choose for our holidays. Seizing control of it allow us to influence the way we are perceived. Want to project a serious, corporate vibe? Delete that Bebo account from the 90s and throw away the garish ties. Want to come across as creative and unique? Dye your hair blue and decorate your desk with kawaii figurines. And so on.Market ValueTalking about the market value of people can sound a little mercenary, but essentially that’s what employment is: you flog your services for the highest price a bidder is willing to pay. That price, incidentally, is not just gross salary, but all the other work perks and preferences you would like to maximise â€" such as short commutes or flexitime.In order to up our market value, we first need to understand what it is. How in-demand are our skills and experience? What is our USPs, and how do they make us more valuable than our competitors in the hiring process? Finding your market position means researching things such as the typical salary for your role, the prevalence of people with your qualifications, and the shape of the job market in your area.If your research suggests your current employer is undervaluing you, it’s probably time to ask for a pay rise or to look at positions elsewhere (on average, each job-hop corresponds to a 10-20% increase in salary). Understanding where your value lies will also help you successfully negotiate everything from promotions to work perks to starting salaries. Such conversations can be scary, but they’re worth it: research suggests that failure to regularly negotiate your salary can cost you $1 million in lost lifetime earnings.Being clued up on your personal market value will also help you increase it. If y our industry research reveals that knowing a particular software or other skill will move you up a level, that’s a strong incentive to enroll in a  relevant course such as a  Master of Business Administration online  or request extra training from your employer. Want to Read More Articles Like This One?Sign up here to receive weekly updates from Career Enlightenment, and never miss another powerful job searching tip! SUBSCRIBE! You have Successfully Subscribed!We hate spam too. Unsubscribe any time. Online PresenceSmart companies put a great deal of thought into their online presence, and smart individuals should too.At a minimum, that means regularly Googling your name to check that the results paint you in a good light. It also means setting privacy settings on personal social media accounts and removing anything embarrassing, morally dubious, or downright illegal.   Remember: 6 in 10 employers research job candidates on search engines and social media, and almost half check up on their current employees.Ideally however, your online branding efforts will go beyond removing the inflammatory to actively promoting yourself via the internet. For example, taking time to make your LinkedIn profile top-notch is a good idea: 92% of recruiters use it to headhunt.Moreover, with over two-fifths of hiring managers turned off by a lack of online presence, it pays dividends to use the internet to showcase positive aspects of yourself. Whether it’s using WordPress to create an engaging travel blog, Twitter to pass thoughtful commentary on current affairs, or Flickr to post photos from your mountain biking hobby, letting your personality shine through will make you memorable and interesting to employers.For some careers, creating your own website and/or online portfolio is a great idea. It makes you look polished and professional, and is an easy way to show off your best work. If you’ve ever considered going freelance, working on building your online presence now will make everything easier if and when you do decide to take the leap.Growth ForecastWell-run businesses know where they want to be in one year, ten years, and fifty years. Do you?Having a good idea of where you want your career and life to be heading helps you ensure that you’re currently working towards these goals. If you want to be a director in ten years, for example, work out the number of promotions you’ll need to get from your current job, assign yourself a time frame to achieve each of them, and be prepared to hunt them out aggressively. Great opportunities rarely fall into our laps, so without clear goal setting and continual momentum you’re unlikely to achieve all the things you want to.Of course, plans can change, for individuals as much as businesses. That’s fine. Having a growth plan doesn’t mean you’re committed to it forever. Instead, it’s about ensuring your career trajectory follows the path that best meets your needs and desires at every point in yo ur life.

Motivation Monday Rock It!

Motivation Monday Rock It! Lets get this week rocking! Literally.   Your job search requires the right mental outlook. Music Tames the Savage Beast When was the last time you put on some upbeat tunes and danced around the room?   I uploaded and experimented with Spotify last week and forgot how good music can make me feel!   (Spotify has been all the rage over in Europe and now is available to the US.   It has millions of songs you can save to your account and play for free.   Downloading to your iPod or mp3 requires a premium membership.) So whether you dust off the vinyl, tune into Pandora or recharge your iPodtry starting off each day with music! Exercise and Eat Right Many job seekers Ive met have started exercising.   As a result, theyve dropped some pounds.   Not only do they feel good about their weight loss, but the endorphins circulating makes them feel good too.   Eating right during the summer is easier.   The longer days and outdoor activities make eating less of a temptation.   So try using these summer months to take advantage of the fresh fruits and vegetables and eat healthy! Choice Just a reminderlife is about the choices we make.   You have a choice!   What will you choose today, this week, this month? Have a great week!