Affordable Outplacement

Affordable Outplacement Three years ago I started to learn about this industry I had never heard of outplacement. I hadnt heard of it because the company that laid me off doesnt do outplacement.   When I got let go I got a very small severance and advice to go to a free resume clinic. Outplacement, I learned, is a service provided by a company to help an employee who is being terminated to land on their feet.   Outplacement services typically include some coaching (individual or group), learning opportunities (seminars, webinars, etc.), and sometimes office space.   There are other perks of receiving outplacement, but those are at the core. Outplacement packages typically start around $1,200 and commonly are more than $2,000.   Executive outplacement packages can easily be five figures. As I was learning about this industry I thought about how cool it would be to offer something to companies like mine there is no way they would have spent $1,200 per termination, but perhaps they would spend a few hundred dollars on each of us.   To that company, outplacement was too expensive. Interestingly, traditional outplacement firms are not interested in going below a certain price point there is a lot of overhead associated with traditional outplacement and they just cant go that low. My idea was to create an offering that could satisfy that price point. Fast forward three years I got an email from a recruiter a couple of months ago saying he was just let go and did I know of any opportunities.   After not doing anything with my idea for three years because (a) I didnt have the mental bandwidth, and (b) Im not a sales professional, I thought Id throw the idea at him. And here we are today, with a new website called Affordable Outplacement.   Were definitely not going head-to-head with traditional outplacement, rather we are going where they have chosen not to go. Theres more to the story, but Ill leave it at this for now.   I think its quite exciting, and Im anxious to see how things unfold over the next 12 months! Oh yeah, I should mention, YES, we are looking for talent to help us move this forward.   Specifically (and only), right now we are looking for inside sales reps: Affordable Outplacement Three years ago I started to learn about this industry I had never heard of outplacement. I hadnt heard of it because the company that laid me off doesnt do outplacement.   When I got let go I got a very small severance and advice to go to a free resume clinic. Outplacement, I learned, is a service provided by a company to help an employee who is being terminated to land on their feet.   Outplacement services typically include some coaching (individual or group), learning opportunities (seminars, webinars, etc.), and sometimes office space.   There are other perks of receiving outplacement, but those are at the core. Outplacement packages typically start around $1,200 and commonly are more than $2,000.   Executive outplacement packages can easily be five figures. As I was learning about this industry I thought about how cool it would be to offer something to companies like mine there is no way they would have spent $1,200 per termination, but perhaps they would spend a few hundred dollars on each of us.   To that company, outplacement was too expensive. Interestingly, traditional outplacement firms are not interested in going below a certain price point there is a lot of overhead associated with traditional outplacement and they just cant go that low. My idea was to create an offering that could satisfy that price point. Fast forward three years I got an email from a recruiter a couple of months ago saying he was just let go and did I know of any opportunities.   After not doing anything with my idea for three years because (a) I didnt have the mental bandwidth, and (b) Im not a sales professional, I thought Id throw the idea at him. And here we are today, with a new website called Affordable Outplacement.   Were definitely not going head-to-head with traditional outplacement, rather we are going where they have chosen not to go. Theres more to the story, but Ill leave it at this for now.   I think its quite exciting, and Im anxious to see how things unfold over the next 12 months! Oh yeah, I should mention, YES, we are looking for talent to help us move this forward.   Specifically (and only), right now we are looking for inside sales reps:

Side-Hustling Angelo Sotira, CEO of deviantART - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Side-Hustling Angelo Sotira, CEO of deviantART - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Up next in the Side-Hustle series is Angelo Sotira, CEO of deviantART, an online community and marketplace for artists to showcase and sell their art that was founded in 2000. Angelo founded deviantART at the age of 19, but it wasnt his first company. At the age of 15, he built and eventually sold a music file-sharing site called Dimension Music. We discussed the idea of community and how side-hustling has changed todays marketplace. How do you define your personal brand? What does it mean for your company? Community. Ive spent the last 20 years of my life building communities. DeviantARTs single most important attribute is our culture. The meaning behind deviantART Loves You! has been very important from the day we began. What gave you the inspiration to build your company? DeviantArt was started to service the community of artists who, at the time we started, didnt have a place to congregate, share their work and publish what they were doing. We set out to change the world. I think theres a blind ambition around these things. What has been your experience with the side-hustling trend in Gen-Y? How do you see it impacting the marketplace? We have always encouraged artists to reach audience through deviantART to promote any project they might have, on Kickstarter, Etsy or any other side hustling site. We also have a print program which can provide very substantial revenue for artists and a digital platform where artists can sell any digital download and take advantage of deviantART’s virtual currency for micro-payments. The next step for dA is to provide artists with sustainable income. How can someone balance the responsibilities of a real job with a digital side-project? Not just from a time perspective, but to avoid negative criticism from employers? I think it’s somewhat understood in the arts community that many people have extracurricular projects, but meeting and exceeding expectations at any job is imperative to succeed. What are 2-3 pieces of advice you would give to someone who is stuck in their career and looking to take a step to the next level? Look to the defining moments and challenges of your life and reexamine those lessons to recognize your passion and your skills. Use all of the resources around you. Technology has made huge developments and today’s entrepreneurs should capitalize on them. Thank you to Angelo Sotira for taking the time to share his insight. Check out his company here. Look out for the next iteration of the Side-Hustle series. Click here to to read an interview with Tracy DiNunzio, founder of Tradesy.

Audio Branding and Its Importance to Your Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Audio Branding and Its Importance to Your Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Audio branding, also known as sonic branding, is a verbal identity that gives a personal brand its own distinct personality using tone of voice. It makes use of sound to reinforce a company’s identity and brand. Sound has always been a great tool to convey memorable messages to consumers as it is something that we’ve been able to consume even when we were in the womb according to Colleen Fahey, U.S. Managing Director of Sixieme Son, an Audio Branding Agency. Listen in to a recent interview we did about what audio branding is and its impact on your personal brand. Despite sound being a very integral part of communication, it wasn’t highly thought of when it came to personal branding. And, it’s still only conversed about in a limited bases in corporate strategic meetings. Having an audio brand is a good step to take to ensure that no other firm uses similar audio and to truly deep dive into your brand DNA and ensure that at every touchpoint the expression of your brand is consistent. Feel the sound With the dynamic nature of sound you can create an emotional connection with the target audience in your business. In some instances, people often tap their feet or hum to a company’s unique tune even when it is not playing at that particular moment. Sound, and by extension music, taps into the emotions of an audience. When it is delivered reasonably, audio conveys information, entertain consumers, and in the long run helps form a lifelong positive association with customers that reinforces brand values. Sound is the most commonly used medium of communication. This is another reason why you should study your audio usage in your personal brand. What do you currently use as your ringtone, presentations, videos, and your booth at a tradeshow or even on your personal website? By coming up with good sound (that is a sound that communicates your brand attributes effectively), audio becomes an effective form to communicate. This can be used with in collaboration with visual or verbal communication. The sounds can then be used to convey meaning and ideas. From previous studies, it has been shown that an audio brand is equally or more impactful on how a brand is perceived as its visual identity is. When creating successful audio, one has to understand that sound can as well pollute the environment. An audio pollutes when it delivers a different meaning or energy to a brand. The inconsistency is confusing and when something is confusing others rarely spend time to figure out where the disconnect is. In fact, if your personal brand is confusing or difficult for someone to communicate to their contact sphere, they just won’t say anything at all. And, internally they will feel that something is “misfiring” or “not right” even though they can’t put their finger on exactly what that is. Coming up with audio Designing an audio brand would mean more than just creating a short melody or a catchy jingle.  [tweet this] When considering the right music production source, listen to most of their work as much as possible then compare the overall quality. Take charge of your personal brand and really know what the five attributes are that you would like to convey in every aspect of your brand. Take your time and do the research; talk to the producer and writer to get a feel for their work before you start the project. And you, be the strategist and leader in your own personal brand, to make sure that in every way you express your brand that it’s truly â€" on brand.

Swag Success How to Use Customized Products for Branding - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Swag Success How to Use Customized Products for Branding - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Consumers love swag. Whether its merchandise from their favorite sports team, movie or video game, the promotional products sector is a multi-billion dollar market. After all, most of us cherish the act of receiving and displaying promotional products based on the franchises we love. The idea behind using swag to advertise and promote your business is clearly a natural step for the industry. Perhaps even more importantly, its an idea that works. The Creative Process First, youll need to take care of the creative side of product and swag branding. Some choose to hire an external consultant or graphic designer for this process, as an innovative and imaginative product is bound to generate greater results. As such, this step shouldnt be taken lightly by any means. Despite their usefulness, a third-party designer isnt absolutely necessary to the creative process. Indeed, many companies utilize inside resources, including administrative personnel, office workers or even general laborers who are willing to take on the additional responsibility of swag development. Potential candidates can be located through company newsletters, bulletin board posts or simply by asking individual staff members. Finding Your Target Audience Youll also need to determine your target audience. Typically, the target audience of your swag will be the same clientele of your regular business. In some cases, especially with unique or specialized swag, you may need to expand your horizons. Identifying promotional products that will be useful to your current base of clientele can be tricky, but its certainly not impossible. Those who work in office settings, for example, might appreciate a nice notebook or a smartphone charger. On the other hand, clientele from the construction industry might benefit more from a branded tape measure, hammer or even a travel toolbox. As you can see, knowing your target audience is the key to a successful swag campaign. Securing the Best Pricing A simple Internet search reveals hundreds, if not thousands, of companies that supply bulk products for use as swag. Highly customizable, affordable and typically available with a quick turnaround time, it can be difficult to find the company that is right for you. However, there are some tricks you can use when perusing your options. For starters, take advantage of the Internet to perform some initial research on any potential swag suppliers. If possible, try to seek out social media profiles and third-party review sites as opposed to a companys official web presence. Consult with some of your peers as well regarding their promotional swag. Finding out what theyre paying and whether or not theyre happy with the service can go a long way in making your final decision between one supplier or another. Finally, pay attention to the amount of money youre actually spending on promotional products. Avoid overspending, but keep in mind the fact youll typically receive a higher discount when purchasing items in great quantity. As such, make sure to look at all of the available purchase options before finalizing your order. Even customizable water bottles come in different sizes and styles to offer different price points. Consider your needs and what you’re willing to spend before selecting the product and shop around for the best options. Distributing Your Swag Generally speaking, industry events and trade shows provide one of the best opportunities for distributing your companys swag. Because youll come in contact with a plethora of individuals, including potential clientele, such events are a boon for those who rely on promotional products to spread awareness of their company or brand. If you have multiple swag products to represent your company, you might even consider distributing them within a gift bag. This is a great idea when it comes to recognizing the achievements of your employees or even as a holiday bonus at the end of the year. Todays social media sites can also be utilized to give away promotional swag to current and potential new customers. A number of strategies can be used to determine who receives the swag, including popular comments, structured contests and even those who are chosen at random. Since youre both handing out promotional products and advertising the fact that you are doing so, your company will ultimately see even greater increases in exposure and customer interest. Seasonal Swag Swag can even be handed out during a specific season. Christmas and the New Year are obvious choices, though some would argue they lack creativity. Instead, try to coordinate your swag campaigns with some of the more unique and creative holidays. Halloween, for example, is ripe with promotional opportunities. Customized candy, Halloween-specific coupons and even bags for trick-or-treating are all great ways to advertise your business while celebrating the holiday at the same time. Earth Day is another holiday that provides ample opportunity for distributing your products. Traditionally held on April 22, its a time to celebrate earth, nature and the environment. As such, promotional products that are eco-friendly make the best choices. Reusable water bottles, lunchboxes, and solar-powered devices are all excellent ideas. Making the Most of Your Swag Campaign As you can see, there are plenty of tactics and strategies to utilize when creating, developing and distributing your custom-branded products. While the exact methods you choose to implement depends on a variety of factors, including your current customer base, your campaign goals and even your specific industry, there is plenty of room for creativity throughout the entire process.

Is Your Online Presence Strong Enough to Compete in Executive Job Search - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

Is Your Online Presence Strong Enough to Compete in Executive Job Search

Dating and Job Interviews

Dating and Job Interviews 7 Flares 7 Flares Tom Gimbel is the President and CEO of  LaSalle Network,  a Chicago-based staffing firm. Founded in 1998, LaSalle has served thousands of clients and candidates, placing job seekers in temporary, temporary-to-permanent and permanent positions. LaSalle is the only Illinois-based staffing firm named on the Inc. 500/5000 list for the last seven consecutive years. ReadTom’s latest on his blog,  Past Five,  or tweet him  @TomGimbel. The dating and career analogies are endless, and as cliché or overused as they may be…they actually hold some weight. The recipe to finding the perfect match takes patience…spending time upfront to find the right fit, someone you can be yourself around…someone that motivates and supports you, that wants to see you grow. The same is true of your career…you want an organization that supports you, educates and empowers you, an organization that pushes you to be better. To find the perfect career consider the following tips before your next interview: Look the part â€" It’s simple. At the end of the day, employers want someone who will represent the company well, so shine your shoes, comb your hair, iron your pants or blouse. Stick to solid grey, navy or black suits. Look professional, look the part, and show that you belong there. Engagement â€" Just like on a date, a conversation is two-way. Being engaged in the conversation shows interest, excitement and desire to learn more. Come prepared to ask good questions…  smart questions. Ask what it takes to succeed in the position, why the position is open, what the company culture is like, if there’s communication with upper management, a chance to grow within the organization, etc. Compatibility â€" A candidate should tell the employer exactly how and why they are perfect for the position. Explain how the skills acquired from past positions are transferable to the job responsibilities. Show love for the position â€" Be excited. Be eager. Be yourself. It’s short and simple, but often forgotten. If you want the position, say so. The follow-up â€" Go beyond the generic email thank you note and send a hand-written letter in the mail. It’s a nice touch that will makes candidates stand out.     Be patient â€"Understand that it takes time to find the right person for the role who is also a culture fit Realize it can take weeks or months for a hiring manager to get back in touch.  Set follow-up points (not too frequent) to circle back with the hiring manager and express continued interest in the role. Make a lasting first impression â€" At the end of the day, hiring managers are looking for hardworking, eager individuals. They want to hire people who are creators, people who take something and run with it…people who arent complainers, and find solutions rather than create problems. Draw examples from past experiences and showcase that during the interview.

How a Resume Writing Summary Can Help You

How a Resume Writing Summary Can Help YouIf you are in need of help in getting a resume written, then consider using a resume writing summary. These summaries are small handouts that help guide the writer through their resume creation process. You may be wondering how these different types of resume writing summaries are different.The different resume writing summaries have different styles and purposes. Here's an overview of how they work. All resume writing summaries have one main purpose: to help you get a resume to you.A resume writing summary is like a tutorial for the resume. If you want to know more about your dream job, this can be a good resource. It helps you develop your skills and learn how to make a resume stand out from the crowd.The best benefit of resume writing summaries is the fact that you can easily access it. Simply print it out and take it with you. You can read it at any time during the day. You can also share it with friends, family, co-workers, and anyone els e who you think will find it helpful.Another thing to remember is that there is no 'right'wrong' way to write a resume. As long as you're comfortable with it, then it's fine. The point is to find something that you're comfortable with and let your writing do the rest. Make sure you stick to the topic.Sometimes, you just have to let your own method come out on its own. You don't have to stick to a template. Just make sure you're comfortable with the way you do things and you'll be fine.Resume writing summaries help you better explore your ideas and give you a place to go. You can also read over it later on if you need more information. They can also be helpful in helping you learn how to write a resume for yourself.