?? 7 Signs Youre Actually An Expert On Anything

?? 7 Signs You're Actually An Expert On Anything 114 How to know if you're an expert and can call yourself one. Photo by Hunters Race When I started JobMob in December 2006 and officially launched it with a press release a few months later, job search wasn't one of the things I wanted to be an expert at. Not even close. The idea for the site came to me during the summer of 2006 when I was living in France but looking for a job in Israel. The local job market was humming along nicely at that point but when networking with other job seekers, I realized that I was still having more success than most. Having begun following blogs a few months earlier, I noticed at the time that there were no Israel-based blogs about job search. A blog sharing my own job search experiences seemed to be a perfect way to experiment with blogging while also being the “first to market”. And so, JobMob was born.eval At that point, I still wasn't a job search expert. Then a funny thing happened.eval The more time that I spent on JobMob trying to blog regularly, the more I learned about job search. And the more I learned, the more I began to understand how I could help others with their job search. And it started happening. Although I could have done it earlier, it was only really in 2008 â€" after JobMob had been around for over 18 months â€" that I became comfortable with the idea of calling myself an expert. Here are some of the reasons why, and other reasons that might apply in your case. Have you ever used the word 'expert' to describe yourself? Yes No View Results How do you know if someone is an expert? Only a few of these signs are enough on their own to call someone an expert, but if you recognize most if not all, that's when can you call someone a specialist. 1) More knowledge than others Dictionary.com‘s definition of an expert is “a person who has special skill or knowledge in some particular field.” Meaning, if you have more knowledge on a subject than the average person, you might qualify as an expert in that field. 2) Recognized credentials Whenever a market booms, the number of experts in that market quickly booms too as people try to cash in, like with social media. If you spent 7+ years at an accredited university becoming a doctor and can now add ‘M.D.' to your name, few people will doubt your expertise. 3) Can demonstrate expertise Anyone can read hundreds of blog posts, watch dozens of YouTube clips and then retell that information to anyone who asks. Only real experts know how to apply that information in real world situations and will have done so. 4) Proven track record of success Applying learned knowledge is only worthy if you're consistently achieving successful results. 5) Many testimonials If you've helped other people to success, many of them will usually talk about that success. If they don't, ask them for a LinkedIn recommendation. 6) Well-versed in failure An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field. -Niels BohrClick To Tweet Niels Bohr famously said that “an expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field.” Only an expert knows how things can go wrong and how to anticipate and avoid that from happening. 7) Other experts refer to you Although it doesn't take an expert to know one, it's a lot easier for another expert to know one. If other experts are willing to put their reputation on the line by referring to you, you are probably already an expert yourself or on your way to becoming an expert in your field. Why is this important for job seekers? All job seekers, employed or not, should always carry personal business cards and even more so at networking events. But what do you write on the business card besides your name and contact information? One option is to put the title of the job you're searching for, but that might be too specific, unnecessarily limiting your options. A better option is to use the above 7-point list to determine what are you an expert at and then call yourself an expert in that field, keeping your options open to various industry-related positions. On the other hand, if you're asking yourself “what should I be an expert in?”, use employer demand as a guide for what can you be an expert at, making future job searches easier. With that in mind, check out: ?? Top Computer Skills Your Resume Needs Today This is what you should do next If you want more employers to know YOU are an expert, listen up. Jeff Bezos, my former boss, says “Your brand is what other people say about you when you're not in the room.” With that in mind, here's your chance to learn how to grow your personal brand as an expert from an expert who's been doing it successfully for years. My friend and world renown career expert J.T. O'Donnell has created The Ultimate Guide to Personal Branding course and she has a quick special message for you about it: Click to learn more about all the benefits of the course, and don't forget to use coupon code JOBMOB50 (must be in ALL CAPS) to get a $50 discount. Funny followup From Ron Machol of Israemploy, a clip about why too many people think they're experts: Also good: The Expert (Short Comedy Sketch) What others are saying How to Become an Expert (And Spot out One Nearby) Are You An Expert, Or Do You Feel Like You're Faking It? Counterpoint: Why You Should Stop Calling Yourself an Expert Question of the article Is social proof a way to know you're good at something? Should I have included it in the list above? Tell us in the comments. I originally published a version of this article on the terrific Personal Branding Blog.

Focusing On Long-Term Results Tough in Small Business - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Focusing On Long-Term Results Tough in Small Business - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Last Tuesday’s All-Star Game marked the unofficial mid-way point in the very long Major League Baseball season. This time in the baseball season always reminds me that in the marathon that is the baseball season athletes are conditioned not to get too high while on a winning streak or too low during a slump, because if the focus is on consistently practicing and refining the fundamentals of their trade, desired results will be achieved over the long haul. Small business owners need to maintain focus on a long-term perspective well beyond the length of a typical baseball season because as Bill Gates has said, “most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.” Plus, building a company that performs like a champion, just like building an athletic team of championship caliber, takes time. The challenge for many small business leaders is that the distractions of the 21st Century make it increasingly difficult to maintain focus long enough to keep the progress going in the right direction. My friend and colleague Dov Gordon of www.DovGordon.net likes to remind me there are only three things a small business owner needs to maintain focus on: A clear focus on the desired end result. A simple and specific next step. How you need to “be” in the moment. Success is just a continual series of those simple and specific next steps. Yet, with the Internet and globalization bringing competition from around the world into virtually every small business’ backyard, the distractions are many. Too many small business leaders allow those distractions to get in the way of making simple decisions to stay on track. The first decision made by a Major League Baseball team towards its most desired end result is to win the World Series. What is your “World Series?” How do you define your small business’ “Championship Vision?” After that, the next two decisions will get you there. So, what is your “simple and specific next step?” How do you have to “be” to successfully execute that next step? Those are only three things you need to be thinking about right now on your journey to creating your championship company.

How to tell a new story about yourself

How to tell a new story about yourself You know youre in denial when your bio still says you live a thousand miles from where you really live.  Thats pretty much where I am right now. Also I couldnt do obsessive late-night purchases on Anthropologie because I couldnt remember that I still had the farm address on my credit card. And then I thought I didnt have money because my card didnt work. Its messed up. I need to just get a grip on reality and update my address. Try to to guess the one link on my site that gets the most clicks. Well, actually, its mailbag, and now that Im writing this, Im going to have to put a new question there. I have no idea why its so popular, but before I start getting friendly with quick money lenders,  I should focus on monetizing that section. But after mailbag, the most popular link is the Photos of Penelope link. For the five people who read this blog and have never clicked on it, its here, but its also on the bottom of every page. And I used to really like the page a lot. Its pictures of me having fun and being thin and feeling in love. And pictures of me using my startup funding to pay people to do my hair and my makeup to get me ready for a fancy photo session. Now I look at that page and its mostly pictures of me on the farm. Crap. Also I look so happy. Crap. Also, as I write this my whole body is heating up, getting sweaty and woozy, which means just thinking of those pictures triggers a hot flash. Something about hot flashes: after you have one you feel like you just worked out. Theres sweat everywhere. So I am trying to train myself to treat my hot flashes like Pavlovs bell, and soon dopamine will come on command and I wont have to work out to get the psychological benefits of working out. Ill only have to have a hot flash. Anyway, someone just asked me to send over my bio and a headshot. I sent them the picture on this post  as my headshot. And I wrote a new bio. I told myself just get it written now, fast, and think about it more later. Writing the bio felt like breakup sex: its easy to be great when theres nothing at stake. So now I think I might just have this as my bio: Penelope Trunk was named by TechCrunch as one of  the 25 most revolutionary women in tech. Inc Magazine called her the worlds most influential career coach. BusinessWeek called Penelopes blog a must read for Generation Y. Penelope has Aspergers, and probably so does everyone shes ever been close to in her whole life, but people have a hard time admitting that she is right about this. Its short, for sure, but Melissa sent me a piece from McSweeneys that makes fun of what its like to try to hire a Gen-Xer. And the description of the Gen-Xers who only sort of wants to work sounds exactly like me. Melissa points out that its a largely negative portrait of Gen-X, but I dont care. If people want a longer description of who I am, they can read McSweeneys. I am thinking that there comes a point in every womans life where she should retire the idea of a headshot and instead use a picture of her living room. Forget you needing to see my full figure. My love language is quality time so you should imagine yourself caressing my couch. My kids are also having to rework their bios. Not that kids usually have a bio. But of course my kids both have bios. This is because my younger son is a cellist, and you dont practice music five hours a day without having a bio. And my older son has decided he wants to go to some fancy science school even though his mom makes a living writing about how dumb school is.   So, because Im a good person I got on board with his goals even though they are not my goals and I wrote the bio he will use to get into college so that then we can work backwards from there. Really. Its not a mystery what bio gets a kid into a great school. So why not write the bio like its a to-do list? For those of you who are getting impatient that this blog post does not apply to you, write your resume to get your dream job. Then work backwards to make it true. This is the type of strategic planning that gets you a great career. Its hard to do. If you cant do it, you should be like my son and have me do it for you. But youd have to pay me. I cant bear to write my bio because I just want to lie to you: Penelope had a very successful career and never gave it up for kids. Then Penelope raised kids who are exceptionally successful but she never gave up taking care of herself. There will be a photo to illustrate this bio and it will be from Sports Illustrated. Not a naked one, but maybe one from an article about sportscasters. Because they present that magical combination of hotness and intelligent questions. Actually, by the time you reach 50, everyones bio is the same: Worked. Had kids. Constantly underestimated how much happiness money can buy. Should I say in my bio that I have two ex husbands and both left me and that I was in complete shock in both times? Who is so dense that they are completely blindsided by divorce. Twice. By the way, this last time it was not divorce. Because in Wisconsin if you are living together but not married then its treated like a business partnership. But it doesnt matter, because I still lost almost all my stuff. I just couldnt get a grip fast enough to get my things. In fact, the amount I left there is so significant that I will show a big loss on my taxes this year. Which in a way will end up saving me tons of money. So maybe my new bio should actually say, Penelope has had a wide range of different jobs and four startups, but she found that her most natural gift is taking a tax write-off from failed ventures.

Is your marriage ruining your career

Is your marriage ruining your career Ive been a huge fan of Huma Abedin ever since she married Anthony Weiner, the smart, liberal politician who made C-SPAN an entertainment channel. Humas first job was as Hilary Clintons assistant when she was First Lady. Huma has been with Hilary ever since, and she has risen to the top of Hilarys circle. You seldom see a photo of Hilary in a room where Huma is not close by. In a Vogue interview Huma was smart and powerful and married to a fun guy and she just really was a dream. And she was beautiful while she was pregnant, as rather than giving up State Department duties, she let out waistlines. Then Anthony Weiner got caught sending photos of his penis to random women. And women he had a long-standing penis-photo-sharing relationship with. Huma stood by him. After all, its hard to believe he wouldnt figure out how to stop texting photos of himself or at least start sending more discreetly. Unemployed, he became a stay-at-home dad a perfect fit for Humas huge career but not a good fit for Weiners huge ego, so he ran for mayor of NYC. Smart people forgive stupidity in marriage New Yorkers are forgiving, and anyway, this was when Eliot Spitzer, who was thrown out of office for hiring call girls, was running for comptroller. So things seemed fine in the Weiner-Abedin household until, while running for office on a platform on contrition, he sent more photos of his penis to random women. Abedin said nothing. Now that theres a kid, Huma can never get Weiner out of her life. Hell be there for all the significant events in her childs life. She will have to co-parent with him. She will have to pay alimony and child support because shes the breadwinner. Divorce is a career killer Theres a reason that only 3% of college educated couples get divorced   because it just makes you poor.  Hedge fund king Paul Tudor Jones says divorce is so destabilizing to a career that he stops giving people money to manage when they are going through a divorce. Oscar winner Robin Williams just announced he is going back to sit-coms to pay for his two divorces. Its hard to argue that divorce will ever help your career when your income is split in half. And your career flexibility disappears when your earning flexibility disappears. So I understood completely why she wasnt filing for divorce. It would accomplish nothing. But now its different. The Washington Post reports that Hilary has all but announced her 2016 presidential campaign, and she told Huma to choose between Weiner and Hilary. This makes sense. Marriages scandals for Gary Hart  and John Edwards  killed presidential campaigns. And Hilary has been through hell with Bills cheating scandals. Theres no way shed make her campaign vulnerable to Weiners antics. Most people overestimate how limiting their marriage is People come to me for help with lots of work/life choices. In general, people completely overestimate how much their marriage is hurting them. In the equation they look only at the benefits of divorce and not all the new problems. Imagine this: your vacation schedule has to operate around your  ex spouses new spouses exs schedule. And you have to pay for your spouses vacation that is impeding your own. Its a scenario that is so common yet no one thinks it will happen to them. And of course, the more common scenario is theres no money for vacations because youre supporting two households on one households income. So you have to weigh how annoying your spouse is vs how annoying it will be to have to run your life around your spouses spouse while you raise the kids. With no money. The reason smart people dont get divorced is that its a squandering of resources, and most things we want out of life we can get without a divorce. And, most marriages get much better after 5 years, if you just stay. Most people underestimate how limited their career options are The other thing I hear from lots of people is that they are stressed that they have to pick between career and home life. But they are delusional about what their career prospects are. For one thing, most people with huge career prospects give very little thought to what they have to give up at home they just dont care. But also, for most of you, moving up three or four levels in your career will not affect your home life. For the most part, its only when you are running a startup or running a large company that your home life goes to shit. Or doing major travel for a job. So very few people are faced with a true decision between work and family. And seeing Humas situation shows you just how far you are from having to make that sort of decision. So dont tell yourself your family holds back your carer. It doesnt. Your lack of drive to be at the very, very top holds back your career. Its okay. Most people dont have it. Ramit Sethi makes more than a million dollars a year with his online business. But he wrote a post about how you are not going to be able to do that because it has required an insane amount of work that most people wont do. And Todd Buchholz writes that being great requires nonstop work and people who are great actually like it. Malcolm Gladwell talks about how greatness requires 10,000 hours of practice at that one thing. People who have huge careers love, love, love their work. Those are the types of people who end up having to choose. Huma Abedin puts a very stark light on the issue of work/life choices So I look at Humas decision, and I wonder: What do you guys think? What should she choose? How can she tell her kid that she got a divorce from the kids dad so she could run a political campaign? Its sad. Really. Because it devalues her childs family. Anthony loves Huma. Hes a fuckup, but he loves her. And he loves the kid. And hes not directly hurting them, hes hurting himself. Most men could send photos of their penis with impunity its only one step further than risking semen on the keyboard every week, which most husbands have done at least a few times. I confess that if I were Huma I think Id choose to do the campaign. Id divorce Weiner. I feel bad. Its not good for her kid. Its not the parent I want to be. And I want to be someone who values marriage more than that. I would tell myself I cant support the family with a husband like Weiner. Its not true. But if I were Huma thats what Id tell myself.

Top 10 Executive Job Search Posts from 2015 - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

Top 10 Executive Job Search Posts from 2015 I’m an avid and frequent blogger, typically posting new content on this blog once a week. Even though I’ve been blogging with at least once-a-week frequency for more than 7 years now, I still never run out of things to write about, and never tire of doing it. I can’t keep up with my ongoing list of posts to tackle within relevant topics impacting todays executive job search â€" personal branding, resume and biography writing, and other social networking, online reputation management, social media, networking, interviewing, etc. That list continues to grow, so I have every reason to believe I’ll continue posting for a long time. Besides marketing my business, blogging forces me to stay current with emerging trends. Many posts require research, feeding my need to continuously learn new strategies and ideas. And it doesn’t hurt that I love this kind of writing. As I look back on posts throughout 2015, clearly was a favorite topic. Thats because is one of the best tools available to job seekers, to communicate their personal brand, position themselves as subject matter experts, stay top-of-mind with their networks, and network their way into new jobs. My top 10 posts will help you navigate the new world of job search in 2016 and beyond: 5 Toxic Beliefs That Can Derail Your Executive Job Search 10 Steps to Executive Job Search Success 5 Reasons Your Profile Isn’t Working Get the Most Out of 5 Deadly Mistakes The Secret of Personal Branding â€" Be Authentic! Think Like an Executive Resume Branding Pro Is Your Online Presence Strong Enough to Compete? The Online Safety and Privacy Dilemma in Executive Job Search How to Land, Brand and Ace Executive Job Interviews 00 0

4 Platforms To Benefit Your Online Presence in 2013 - CareerEnlightenment.com

4 Platforms To Benefit Your Online Presence in 2013 In recent times, the job search has been transformed into a process that demands a strong online presence for employers, recruiters, hiring managers, and most importantly, job seekers.Job seekers everywhere are working to redevelop their job search strategies as the new year rapidly approaches. Building a strong online presence, specifically fueled through a variety of social media platforms, is necessary for those individuals looking to quickly acquire a new position in the new year.Most job seekers are relatively active on the more standard social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. But the changing of the calendar is the perfect excuse to explore the benefits of building a strong presence on some of the latest social media platforms, as well some multimedia platforms that you may have overlooked.Here are some of the latest platforms that, if used creatively, will benefit your online presence significantly during your search for a new position:Google+Although it’s considered one of the top social media platforms available today, Google+ is often snubbed by users for other big-name social sites. But it’s important that you take advantage of every online outlet available to build your presence during the job search. The great thing about G+: It packs a lot of unique features that could potentially give you a leg up during your search.Its latest feature, Google+ Communities, might be one of the best available for building your online presence during your job search. While most might immediately dub it as being an average social networking group it’s so much more. On Communities, users are provided with a variety of ways to get personal with those that share their unique interests. You can now join public groups related to your interests or start private groups with specific users all while sharing information, planning events, or hanging out.High user activity on social forums is a key aspect of a building a strong online presence, and pro perly utilizing Communities can take your forum activity to a whole new level. Consider creating a community for your industry, sharing topical information with other insiders, and creating meaningful conversations in a forum-setting and via live webcam conversations.This will most certainly set you up as a thought leader within the niche of your industry, as well as positively present you to potential companies and recruiters across the globe. 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. PheedThis new social network is a culmination of a variety of features offered by other big name social platforms, but with a twist. Pheed was designed for users to be able to share all forms of digital content for free or at a premium this means users can actually earn money on this social platform. This can be done either by applying a monthly subscription fee to their channel, or setting up a pay-per-view live broadcast event.Pheed’s slogan, “Express yourself,” should act as words of wisdom for job seekers. While earning a profit might not be your motive, Pheed can act as a unique place to start and partake in conversations related to your career field, as well as job seeking. Since it’s known for its multimedia capabilities, a job seeker on Pheed could post their video resume, as well as a digital overview of their portfolio.SnapguideBuilding your social presence sometimes means thinking outside of the box. A great way to stand out from other job seekers in your industry is by utilizing the latest platforms to showcase your expertise sometimes in unconventional ways.The free iOS app and web service known as Snapguide, is a social platform created for sharing step-by-step “how-to guides.” Sounds pretty handy, right? By using the iPhone app, users have the abilit y to take pictures and videos of their projects. In addition, users can add captions and share with the Snapguide community.As a job seeker, you might be wondering how this specific platform could benefit your search. Fear notbuilding your online presence can often be specific to your niche specialities. If you’re a teacher, artist, designer, chef, or just creative in general, sharing informational how-to’s is a great way to set yourself up as a thought leader within your niche.About.meWith so many social platforms available today, it’s easy to not be consistent from site to site. During the job search, it’s important to have social platforms that are seemingly cohesive when viewed by hiring managers and recruiters. This allows for potential employers to see and experience the overall personality of a candidate.Job seekers looking to convey a consistent and effective personal brand throughout their search should consider utilizing About.me. This site offers registered users a simple platform to house all of the links to their multiple online identities. Users can add links to their many social platforms, as well as to their relevant external sites like their online portfolio or even projects they’ve worked on.Building your online presence in your job search should be a priority in 2013. Utilize a variety of platforms to share the story of your skills and experiences. These four social platforms are a great way to leverage your knowledge, expertise, and creativity to present yourself to potential employers.How do you plan to build your online presence in 2013?

How to Check Out the Best Online Resume Writing Services Reviews

How to Check Out the Best Online Resume Writing Services ReviewsYou may be able to save yourself a lot of frustration and time by checking out the best online resume writing services reviews. There are many of these services out there and it can be difficult to sift through them all, but it is much easier to research online for the best services.The first thing you should do is identify which services you want to use. After all, there are many different types of services out there that you may want to consider including in your resume writing efforts. In order to decide which service you want to use, you will need to know the following:* The type of material that you are submitting. Most professionals have different standards for different types of materials. You should be able to get a good idea of the type of material you should be using when you check out the best online resume writing services reviews.* The number of people you will be working with. Most professionals have very s trict standards when it comes to working with new writers. You should be able to gauge this based on how many people will be involved in the process before you sign up.* What type of compensation is offered by the company you are signing up with. This is going to be a big deciding factor on whether or not you are going to hire a service. Some writing companies are very flexible on their rates and some are not. When you check out the best online resume writing services, reviews you should be able to tell the difference.* What kind of people you are going to be working with in the writing process. If you want to do it yourself, then you will want to focus on the writing of the overall resume. If you are working with a professional, then you may want to spend more time on the specific job you are applying for. Make sure you can meet deadlines and expectations before you sign up for a particular service.* What types of styles of resumes are available to you? This will also play a role i n whether or not you are going to choose a particular company. Some services will give you a style that is best for your style while others will offer a style that works best for others. Be sure you know what you want before you check out the best online resume writing services reviews.Overall, you should be able to tell a lot about the best online resume writing services by checking out the best online resume writing services reviews. The main thing is to be able to judge a company based on their style of work. It can be a great way to find the right job for you if you can find a service that fits your needs.