Why You Should Constantly Update Your Online Career Profile

Resumes only need to be updated during the job search process, but your online profile is a bit different. It’s always out there in cyberspace for anyone to view whenever they decide. That’s scary! But it’s kind of amazing too. Online career profiles can work for you, even when you’re not in the depths of a job hunt. Your online profile is like a billboard on the busiest highway in your area. You wouldn’t want a billboard of your information to be incorrect.

Passersby, in this case potential employers, networkers, and recruiters, should have a good sense of your recent accomplishments and current endeavors. After all, it would be great if you could get those passersby to pull over and stay a while. And whether you realize it or not, your career is constantly changing. You should be constantly adding skills and updates to your bio as you and your career morph.

Every time you make a change to your profile, you’ll keep recruiters and employers updated on your status. Don’t worry; your current employer will not immediately assume you’re searching for a job if you update yourprofile. Keeping an updated online profile is your right and it’s the smart thing for any career-minded person to do. Here are some ideas on when to update your online career profile.

• When you finish any type of education from traditional schooling to continuing education classes to certifications.
• Immediately after you’ve been promoted or your title has been changed.
• After you’ve changed jobs. Wait until you’ve settled in and update it 2 to 3 months later.
• When you’ve acquired a new skill. Ask for coworker to endorse your skills on LinkedIn.
• If you’ve authored any materials, publications, or articles; these make great status updates too!
• If you’ve moved from one town to another.
• When you have a new and improved photo of yourself.
• After you’ve had a great experience with someone and want to recommend their work. Ask for one in return!
• When you find an interesting career article, update your status so all your connections can see that you’re involved in the industry.
• If your contact information changes: email, phone, blog, Twitter, website, etc.

Image via Flickr/Shelia Scarborough. 

The 3 Times Phone Etiquette Matters Most

You’re in the interview, the one that is going to put you back on track for your career. It’s going to give you the freedom you’ve hoped for, the money you deserve, and the opportunity to work in the field you’ve dreamed of. Then, your phone rings. *&%^&! You dig through your bag to silence it as quickly as possible, but in your head you know you’ve just killed the interview.

The cellphone, or basically mini-computer, has become like another limb for most people. Yet it can destroy the things that it helped to bring about just as quickly as they came. We store our networking contacts on our phones, we use our phone to check our LinkedIn and Twitter, we use the map on our phone to help us get to our scheduled job interviews. This list could go on and on…

It’s clear this tool is imperative for a job search, but it also requires some specific etiquette. And these tips could actually make you become a more productive and proficient employee.

Phone Etiquette at a Networking Event
Bring your phone, of course, but don’t have it out at all times. As little as possible would be best. A networking event is your one chance for face-to-face communication. You are there to meet people, learn about them, and hopefully contact them again in relation to your search. Tweeting during an event might be tempting, but that face-to-face time is priceless—and not worth passing up for one tweet. And remember: don’t use your phone as a crutch if you’re having a hard time mixing with a group.

Phone Etiquette in an Interview
Sure, you need your phone to get to the interview and to double check your schedule and the names of the people you are talking to. However, once you’ve walked in that door and are waiting to go into the interview, tuck that phone in your bag with the ringer and vibration OFF. Put it on airplane mode or shut if off completely. Here’s a tip that will help you keep your phone out of sight: wear a watch!

Phone Etiquette at Work
This is a tricky one because some workplaces require phones for more immediate communication. However, this is when you really have to exercise your restraint and caution. Decide to check it only before or after meetings—not during. That’s rude! Be present in the moment and direct your full attention to those who formally requested it. Employers that don’t require cellphones will have a very low tolerance for those who while away time on a personal device. Share the phone number of your place of work with loved ones so they can reach you in case of an emergency. You can check your phone during breaks.

Image via Flickr and http://www.japanexperterna.se/ 

The Résumé: What’s Changed and What’s Stayed the Same

Applying for a job is a multimedia experience these days: LinkedIn messages, emails, online questionnaires, video interviews, phone calls, in-person meetings, etc. It’s exhausting! But one thing remains the same—the résumé is still front and center when looking for a new job.

Given the evolution of career searches, the résumé, while still here, has slightly changed. Recruiters and hiring managers often have to quickly scan your application due to the influx of online applications. Just like it’s important to tailor your resume for the job you are searching for, it’s just as important to adjust your résumé style to the current times—just like you would your wardrobe!

Here are a few things that have changed and a few things that haven’t when it comes to résumés…as well as something that’s still up for debate:

What Has Stayed the Same?

• The dates you’ve worked at a job should remain specific. Always use the months in addition to the years.
• Include quantifiable numbers wherever you can. Numerical data is always great.
• Prioritize your accomplishments under each position.
• Incorporate softs skills where possible.
• Stick to the truth! If you feel like you need to explain something further, save it for the cover letter or interview. Don’t put anything misleading on your résumé.

What Has Changed? 

• Consider including any life or volunteer experiences that have taught you skills which apply to the job. It may very likely show your determination, perseverance, or resilience.
• Forget the long-winded and complicated descriptions of your daily job responsibilities.
• You don’t have to hide your education at the bottom of the résumé, especially if it relates to the job. The format isn’t quite as rigid as it once was.
• Don’t include a hobbies section. Limit this section to applicable accomplishments.
• Don’t bury important information and make the recruiters search for it. Keep your format and copy simple and obvious.
• Any potentially controversial topics (religion, politics, sexuality) should be left off your résumé.
• Try to stick to one page, unless you have decades of experience.

What’s Still Up for Debate?

• Summary paragraphs. Some say it’s a good thing, while others believe it just takes up room and is unnecessary.

Image via www.flazingo.com. 

What You Can Do to Encourage That Raise

You like your job, you work hard, and you’ve been with the organization for a significant amount of time. It’s hard not to let your mind wander to that place in your head where you ask yourself, “When will I get a raise?” But then again, it could be the right time for you to start thinking this way. How do you know?

Here are some questions to ask yourself before you meander further down that path:

Do you regularly do more than is required of you? 

Do you volunteer for various tasks/jobs when people are needed?

Are you a respected leader in your work group?

Do you take the blame when you need to?

Do you mentor and support your team?

Do you regularly get asked to take on projects?

Do you give credit to your colleagues as it’s due?

Does your manager call on you when he/she is in a pinch at the office?

You don’t need to be able to answer ‘yes’ to all of these questions in order to move forward with a raise request. However, think about your worth and consider also making a list of positive attributes you contribute to your organization. Would you be easily replaced? Is what you do a specialized skill?

There’s also the consideration that you should be able to handle the answer when you do finally ask for the raise. Are you ready to hear that the company can’t dole out raises based on this year’s numbers? Or, it’s possible that they have policies on raises that you’re not aware of.

If you’re ready to respond to and handle the answers to those first two questions, also consider this one: the possibility that you are showing initiative and sharing your worth with your hiring manager when you sit down to this important conversation. The worst case scenario—and this is a good one—is that you are speaking up about your worth to this organization and your team. This could give your manager the “kick in the pants” he/she needs to remember what an asset you are to the group

 

110 Years: Rayovac Is Having a Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Rayovac! 110-years-old and we are stronger than ever!

The longevity of the company is truly remarkable. Rayovac started producing batteries back in 1906. In 1927 when Charles Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic, he carried two Ray-o-lite flashlights with him for emergency purposes… In the 1930s, Rayovac patented the first vacuum tube hearing aid… and in the 1940s, Rayovac increased their production in order to support the war effort.

No matter what’s happening in the world, Rayovac has been there. Currently, Spectrum Brands and our official partner Walt Disney World are promoting a sweepstakes where you can enter to win a fabulous vacation. As long time Rayovac employee and now Director of Marketing, Jim Stoeffler says, “We put the smiles on the faces of the little kids when they put the batteries in their toys.”

Our employees look at their work as an opportunity to offer much more than just batteries to our customers. “We provide security and safety to the people who use our products. It’s not just about the product, it’s about the people,” said Stoeffler.

Although a small company to start, Rayovac has grown into a global organization of 14,000 employees headquartered in Middleton, Wisconsin. We are up and running 24 hours a day seven days a week producing 600 batteries per minute. If you do the math, we have the capacity to produce over 1 billion batteries per year!

To learn more about Rayovac and hear directly from Colleen Orani, Director of Human Resources, check out this video. Then check out more historical pictures from our Flickr archives or learn more about Rayovac’s history at the Rayovac website.

How to Find R-E-S-P-E-C-T at Work

Aretha Franklin knew what she was talking about when she sang R-E-S-P-E-C-T. In the work world, this is a word that carries a lot of weight. If you are a respected employee you will likely get a lot further in your career than if you are not.

Remember what it was like in high school—while some teachers were “cooler” than others, you always respected the teacher who was fair. You respected the teacher who knew how to keep the class in line. You respected the teacher who said hello and acknowledged you in the hallways. You respected the teacher who offered assistance when you needed it. It was those teachers who set an example of what makes a proper authority figure, and you saw first hand that being liked was different than being respected.

It’s similar in the work world. Everyone wants to be liked, just as they did in high school, and that has merit, but earning respect is what’s going to keep you moving up in your career. When you realize this is when you’re able to begin to create the boundaries necessary to move your career to the next level.

If you are eventually looking for a raise, a promotion, or even just a more positive review from your boss, you have to start by changing your behavior to elicit respect. Here’s what this involves:

• knowing when to talk with colleagues and when to get down to business
• steering clear of office gossip
• mentoring your colleagues when they need it
• displaying leadership qualities like problem solving under pressure with grace
• illustrating that you can follow through and you can lead a team to completion
• choosing the appropriate communication for the situation (e-mail, phone calls, texts, in person)
• volunteering to step into a leadership role or take on larger projects
• showing you’re confident during all of your tasks

Your colleagues may not understand why you’ve made such a choice. They may feel snubbed when they notice you are no longer socializing with them as you once did or participating in office gossip. But, drawing that line and creating the boundaries between respect and like could give you a boost in a pool of employees that are just going through the motions.

If you can regularly remind yourself why you are there, why you have this job, and what your goals are, you shouldn’t have any trouble keeping the parameters set and being respected by your co-workers and managers.

Image via Patrick Marioné/Flickr. 

4 Things You Can Learn From “The Intern”

Once in a while a movie comes along that not only entertains, but educates. The Intern, starring Robert DeNiro, is one of these movies. DeNiro plays a 70-something gentleman who becomes an intern for a hip, startup company. He does not dress like the others and generally doesn’t act like them either. Instead of a messenger bag, headphones, and an iPhone, his character Ben carries a hard-sided briefcase, a flip phone and a paper planner. As you may have guessed, Ben doesn’t wear a hoodie—he dons a three-piece suit with a matching pocket square and wing-tipped business shoes.

Despite the fact that Ben’s old-school ways do not seem to fit in with his colleagues, he teaches them all a few things throughout the movie. Here are some takeaways from The Intern that you can put into action in your everyday work or search for a job or internship.

1. Listening and patience. Ben pays very close attention to the actions of his boss. He does not leave his desk at the end of the day until she does, and as a result, learns so much more about her. His patience comes into play here: he waits for her to notice him, talk to him, and finally ask for his opinion on a few work-related things. His quiet, but strong character, continuously creates opportunities where he can showcase his talents. Listen, process, and wait. 
2. Pride. Ben takes pride in everything he does from the way he dresses to his work ethic. (He’s in before the boss and leaves only after she does.) He’s also proud to be a mentor to all the young millennials he works with. He shares lesson after lesson with his younger colleagues to give them an edge in their careers. Pride in the way you do your job will get you noticed! 
3. Attire. Ben dresses completely different than his coworkers. (A three-piece suit and fancy shoes!) Although more appropriate for work culture 20+ years ago, Ben finds a way to impress and influence his younger counterparts with his clothing. His respectful and chivalrous attitude is the perfect accessory, and by the end of the movie one of his colleagues is rocking the three-piece suit as well! If you aren’t certain about your clothing in the work world, it’s always better to take it up a notch rather than down. First impressions matter and the powers that be will notice your dedication in this area. 
4. Communication. Working with colleagues who aren’t your age or even in your generation can seem tough. However, it provides the opportunity for ideas from both generations to bubble up to the top.  The young interns and employees in the film learn how to communicate with Ben just as he does with them—he helps them learn how to win over and influence clients while they help him learn how millennials succeed in today’s technological world. Mentorship can work both ways! 

Here are Your 2016 Career Goals

The new year is an obvious time to make resolutions for your personal life, but don’t forget to set goals for your work life too. It’s a known fact that you are more likely to accomplish your goals if they are written down and not just conjured up in your head. And you’re even more likely to accomplish those goals when they are accompanied by actionable steps.

Is furthering your career and landing a new job or higher position a goal of yours for 2016? Here are the steps you need to take and the questions you need to ask yourself to get your job search off to a quick start.

• Schedule a meeting with yourself—or two if necessary—to sit and reflect on what you’ve done so far in your career. Write down your accomplishments up to this point! (This alone will boost your morale and ready you for the next step.)
• Ask yourself, “What long-term career goals do you have going forward?” Write them down!
• Choose the goal from this list that you have the most passion for. Circle it!
• What steps do you need to take to get to that long-term goal? List the smaller steps that are necessary to get to that point. If you’re not sure what the typical steps are to reach this goal, do a little online research.
• Schedule each and every step into your calendar—in other words, make time to accomplish your greatest goal. This is the key to success! Try to tackle one task per week or per month.
• Find a friend, colleague, or mentor that will help keep you honest about your goals. Someone you can trust to check in on your progress.
• If you find you were too industrious about your goals, simply revise! It’s ok—as long as you are working on some kind of plan, you’re doing well.
• Plan rewards into your schedule. This is important! Motivate yourself with all those little things you’d like to have, buy, or do. Without a reward system, you could get burnt out, so don’t forget to treat yourself.

Take 2016 by the reigns with this goal-setting session. When you write it down, it’s out of your head and out there for the world to see. No more excuses!

Image via Kim Manley Ort/Flickr.