Happy Labor Day! When The Unemployment Rate Hits 100%!

Happy Labor Day! When The Unemployment Rate Hits 100%! Hey there Ive been blogging here over ten  years and have posted a number of times about how I feel about the unemployment rate. Its pretty much a facade. The only saving grace is that it is standardized, which means that every time you read an unemployment number it is measured the same way it has been forever. What does 3.1% mean? What does 7% mean?   You think a low unemployment rate is awesome, but economists tell us it is not awesome. It means there isnt enough supply (supply being us, workers), and its unhealthy for the economy. Economists like it when the unemployment rate is a bit higher because there is a healthy tension instead of things being off-balance. I remember one speaking trip to Minneapolis where I was doing a few keynotes. At breakfast I saw the front page, above the fold headlines, which bragged about how the areas unemployment rate was really low (one of the best in the nation). This was clearly written by a journalist, not an economist. Anyway, I was about to speak to about 100 unemployed professionals who were experiencing something different than a celebratory economy. I dont care what the government or journalists say about the unemployment rate. when you are unemployed, your unemployment rate hits 100%. Its demoralizing to read how great the economy is doing when you in a job search especially after the first few weeks of the job search honeymoon. If this is you if you are experiencing 100% unemployment, ignore the numbers and ignore the comments about how great things are. Your reality is not aligned with what people are saying. I know that. I lived that. What do you do? Get to work, doing the right things. Spend time and effort in the right places. Figure out a system that works, and then work the system! Put time and effort and patience into it, and reevaluate and tweak the system to ensure you do more of the right things and less of the wrong things. And phooey to those unemployment numbers, when yours is personally 100%. Get to work so you can get back to work. Happy Labor Day! When The Unemployment Rate Hits 100%! Hey there Ive been blogging here over ten  years and have posted a number of times about how I feel about the unemployment rate. Its pretty much a facade. The only saving grace is that it is standardized, which means that every time you read an unemployment number it is measured the same way it has been forever. What does 3.1% mean? What does 7% mean?   You think a low unemployment rate is awesome, but economists tell us it is not awesome. It means there isnt enough supply (supply being us, workers), and its unhealthy for the economy. Economists like it when the unemployment rate is a bit higher because there is a healthy tension instead of things being off-balance. I remember one speaking trip to Minneapolis where I was doing a few keynotes. At breakfast I saw the front page, above the fold headlines, which bragged about how the areas unemployment rate was really low (one of the best in the nation). This was clearly written by a journalist, not an economist. Anyway, I was about to speak to about 100 unemployed professionals who were experiencing something different than a celebratory economy. I dont care what the government or journalists say about the unemployment rate. when you are unemployed, your unemployment rate hits 100%. Its demoralizing to read how great the economy is doing when you in a job search especially after the first few weeks of the job search honeymoon. If this is you if you are experiencing 100% unemployment, ignore the numbers and ignore the comments about how great things are. Your reality is not aligned with what people are saying. I know that. I lived that. What do you do? Get to work, doing the right things. Spend time and effort in the right places. Figure out a system that works, and then work the system! Put time and effort and patience into it, and reevaluate and tweak the system to ensure you do more of the right things and less of the wrong things. And phooey to those unemployment numbers, when yours is personally 100%. Get to work so you can get back to work.

June 2016 Monthly Action Report (CCG Podcast #44) - Classy Career Girl

June 2016 Monthly Action Report (CCG Podcast #44) Welcome back to our weekly CCG podcast! Today is a really exciting podcast that I have been working very hard on for you.  I am going to share with you every single thing I did in my business in June 2016. What worked and what didn’t work and all my lessons learned. This is the first time I am doing a podcast like this so let me know if you like it! I would love to hear and if you are enjoying this Classy Career Girl podcast, please leave a review for us on iTunes as well. I would really appreciate it, thank you! Click play below or  right click here and save link as  to download or subscribe on iTunes  here on this link: I think you are going to love this one so let’s dive in! If you are enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on iTunes! It would mean the world. Thank you! There are a lot of bloggers out there sharing their income reports. I have decided to start a different type of monthly post, an action report. Everywhere we look online these days we hear about someones six figure launch and how someone else made a million dollars on a course, etc. Am I the only one completely fed up with this? If money alone inspires you, you should probably stop reading this now. Im inspired by people who take action and actually make a difference. If I was only in it for the money, my business would look a lot different. I would be a stressed and crazy entrepreneur trying to reach my income goals to share my awesome numbers on my blog each month. Instead, I have spent the entire last year restructuring my business to do more of what I enjoy every single day. That involved quitting all of my higher earning programs. It involved saying no to opportunities and clients that would bring in the big bucks. Simply, because I knew that was not what I wanted to be doing long term. I also want to create a business that lasts a lifetime and even outgrows me. I want to create a legacy and not just be, That girl that did a $60,000 launch. For years I tried to keep up with everyone else. Then, I had my daughter, stepped back and re-evaluated my vision and goals.  Its been a TON of imperfect action and self-reflection behind the scenes and thats what I think is missing in a lot of income reports and snazzy facebook ads and programs out there. What are these people making millions DOING every single day? Wait, I want to know how much impact and difference they are making too. How are they HELPING? I dont care how much someone made. I want to know how people I admire are helping and making a difference. Thats what really inspires me and why I have had to cut back my mentors and coaches. I have unsubscribed from a billion emails because this generation of online business owners are missing the whole point of why we started. Its not to be your own boss and work from home. Its not to have a flexible business and take pretty photos of yourself around the world. I am in business  to reach people around the world and actually make a difference, leave a legacy and be the woman I was born to be. I want to be proud of the business I am building every step of the way and with every dollar I make. I want my daughter to be proud of every single thing I do in this business. This new monthly action post is for her. Its not fun to leave my daughter at daycare. We tell her that mom and dad need to go HELP people and now all she says is, I want to help. I want to help. This monthly post and podcast needs to help someone. Instead of sharing how much money I made (which doesnt actually help anyone), I am going to tell you the ACTIONS I took to make an impact and difference in other peoples lives in June 2016. Its hard work. Its hustle. Nothing happens overnight. Be careful with who you trust and what information you allow inside of your head. Every day I call people in my community to check in and see how their career is going. I am daily hearing people say they are overwhelmed and consumed with all the information they are receiving on how to start a business from business coaches trying to be business coaches themselves.  Its the cool thing to do, did you know? Heres the truthI have been growing an internationally recognized online career platform for 6 years. Telling you what I earn after 6 years of growing my business in detail isnt going to help you as you start a business. Why? Because the only way my business has grown each year is through action and self-reflection. Thats why I want to help you take the action you need to take to create the dream business for you. Your ideal business is not what I have created here. My business is created just for me. I have my own purpose, strengths, passions and mission. But, I can tell you exactly what actions I am taking to grow my business and HELP people. I can tell you what actions are working and what actions are not working. I can tell you about the struggles I am facing and what I am 100% enjoying in my business. Alright, enough intro, lets do this thing. What worked well in June: $1 trials of our membership sites and introductory $7 offers for our mini-courses (its not all about creating $5K programs and $1,500 packages10-50K mastermind programs, you dont have to do it like everyone else. The market for coaches  is getting inflated. Dont say I didnt warn you!) Doing more of what I love. Teaching every week on FB live and answering your questions on CCGTV. Halfway Hustle Challenge 2016. So much fun setting goals with you all for the second half of 2016! Planning out my goals before the month started and devoting one day a week only on strategy items with my husband and Chief Operating Officer, John. No administrative items one day per week. Sharing my scary dreams with my masterminding mama bosses and hearing them say I should go for it! Pinterest! 45% of my traffic to CCG in June! I also created a Love Your Work and Life Ladies group board that you are all welcome to join. We have almost 8K followers already. Send me a message! Planning content a month in advance for the blog and pre-scheduling finalizing everything one week in advance. VIDEOS!!!! on Facebook. Every single day. The engagement that I can get for $0 is insane. If you arent doing videos, start right now. In the same day, I posted a link to an article on my website and it got a reach of 30. I then posted a video and got a reach of 4,000. FB live  is also a dramatic way to get reach for free on your Facebook page. Daycare. So blessed to find a wonderful place for Mila after my nanny quit with no notice!! ?? Afternoon workouts (not morning). Sometimes you just have to listen to your body and go with your energy. I used to be a morning workout person but now my brain wants to create all this content first thing in the morning. Snapchat. I love it! I find most followers watch all of my video stories unlike other platforms like Facebook where the platform doesnt allow your followers to view your posts.  Follow us at  classycareer. The monthly challenges in our membership sites - Whats Your Calling Challenge and Attract More Clients challenges! Weekly emails to  members in our membership communities with highlights of resources and member spotlights each week. No reading. Only creating. Confession: I didnt read a single book in June. This is UNHEARD of for me as I normally always have my head in a book. But, I realized I was reading books I didnt really like and was not getting inspired by anything anymore.. I made a commitment to use the time I normally spend reading and instead produce content for you all instead. Instead of reading, I created 5 podcasts, 5 CCGTV episodes on YouTube, 40 blog posts (including editing guest articles), 4 Facebook Live events, and the Halfway Hustle last week. I think I am now hooked on this doing thing. Im all about learning but sometimes you have to stop reading and start doing. Stop researching and start taking action. Are you ready to make July a month of doing with me? What did not work well in June: Our nanny quit with no notice by text message..Unfortunately, my care.com experience was extremely frustrating and I have major trust issues with anyone who will be watching my daughter. ?? I fired my first employee. Guess that means I am a real CEO now! Its tough to invest so much time into an employee and have it not work out. I always learn something new about being a manager though and it stretches me! Our website got hacked! ?? Ill explain more in a future post. For now, make sure you have a web developer you can call if this ever happened to your website. Not one overseas but someone you can pick up the phone and talk to when everything you worked so hard on disappears. Not enough balance time. I did not stick to a workout routine so its ON my to-do list for next month! Planning my meetup event for September here in San Diego got put on the backburner. Going to put it back on the list for July so we can get a location for our casual meetup. Hope youll join us if you are in San Diego! Save the date September 16th. Actions: Blog posts on CCG (including editing other guest contributors): 40 Podcast episodes: 4 Membership site Introduction videos: 2 YouTube CCGTV episodes: 5 Facebook Live events: 4 Teleseminars: 1 Phone calls made to my community: 70 (Yes really. I call my clients and potential clients personally. I surprise attendees of my courses. I love the personal touch). Goals for Next Month (July 2016) Update all blog posts with Pinterest images, SEO updates and redirect old content. (This is big because we have over 1,500 articles here!) Call everyone who has purchased something from me in the past 6 months (over 300 people!!) Have a personal and team work retreat to work on CCG vision and strategy planning. Plan September meetup event in San Diego. Create and host the Grow Your email List challenge and Expand Your Network challenge in our membership communities. Improving blog content, membership sites and customer experience. No promotion. No launches. No challenges. Sorry. I am pooped from June! ?? What did you think of our action report! I would love to hear!! Please leave a comment.

What Recruiters Want, What They Really Really Want

What Recruiters Want, What They Really Really Want Understanding how to best use  a recruitment consultant as part of your job search will not only cut your paranoia and stress levels down  a lot, but will also accelerate your journey to that dream role. So, let’s talk about recruiters. They’re often criticised and regularly despised by both job hunters and employers alike. For every candidate who tells you what great help they received from a recruiter, four others will foam at the mouth, punch a wall and burn furniture at the mere mention of the R word. For every hiring manager who swears by agency recruiters, several others would slaughter their first-born if it meant they’d never have to use another one. So what’s wrong with recruiters? Well, I suggest they’re misunderstood and the problem is yours, not theirs. Okay, I’m used to the hard stares and long silences at this point in the conversation. I’m also wearing a gum shield and a cricket box so I’m hoping you’ll bear with. Recruitment. How hard can it be, really? Agency recruiters are misunderstood for several reasons, but mainly because a lot can go wrong for them. Recruiters are often in competition with other firms, so if you fail to win a job, they get literally nothing after putting in a lot of hard work. Failing to understand that both you and the recruiter have skin in the game is often the point where it all starts to go wrong. Employers can be mercurial. Hiring freezes, changes to the role or person specification and employers endlessly searching for that perfect person abound.  Candidates themselves can be a minefield. Without warning, they can drop out of the running, refuse an offered role or fail to turn up for one, even after they’ve signed a contract.  Factor in misleading CVs, exaggerated qualifications, dodgy references and a lack of work permits and you can wonder how recruiters ever manage to place anyone. A recruiter is investing time and money and is therefore taking on a risk. For you, as a job hunter, the world is all about being seen as a low-risk, fast-win, high-gain choice. Are you a good bet? Let’s look at how you can build a positive relationship with your recruitment consultant and thereby encourage them to invest in you, rather than someone else on their books. Do your preparation first Figure out what makes you a good bet. Focus your CV, tidy up your online presence and get ready with a life-story that shows you are THE number one perfect choice for that next role. Take responsibility for your search Dont abdicate responsibility and wait for others to deliver opportunities. It’s YOUR job search and a firm of recruiters should only be part of your strategy. Take charge of the relationship Don’t just register online and upload a CV to their site. Pick up the phone, find out who’ll be handling your interests and start building a relationship with them. Base that relationship on trust and nurture it. Define your objective Be specific about the job you’re looking for, the sectors you work in, locations you’ll consider, your capabilities and your needs and wants. If things change, let your recruiter know. Talk to multiple recruiters Different clients work with different recruiters so you’re not being a harlot or trying to set them against each other. After all, they have more than one candidate on their books. Know where your CV is going Be very explicit from the outset â€" you don’t want your CV blasted everywhere as it makes you look desperate, tired and unprofessional. Insist on knowing what they’re putting you forward for, and with which companies. Agree a pattern of contact Ask how they work and what’s reasonable for regular contact. Weekly works well to keep everyone on the ball without feeling hustled and also helps limit the time it takes to get feedback. Use an agenda When you call, in addition to any specific opportunities, some items to have on a regular list are: what’s happened since last week? What’s the plan this week? How’s the market looking? Any general thoughts or feedback? Be positive A recruiter is not your counsellor, nor are they there to keep you motivated. If you’re feeling down, don’t talk about it. Be strong, be positive and be optimistic. If they think you’re weak, you’re a bad bet and they’ll sideline you. Be a friend Since you’re not paying them, why not introduce a friend or colleague? Even better, why not introduce a company that may be able to put some work their way? If they feel obligated, you’ll get preferential treatment. To summarise … A recruiter is not your agent, so you need to respect the relationship and not run conversations as interrogations. By following the above you can maintain control and keep up the pressure, whilst still being able to develop a close and trusting relationship.  Knowing you won’t be hassling them every day leaves recruiters the mental space to do their job properly, whilst knowing you’ll be calling on Friday keeps them on their toes. About the author: Jon Gregory is an author, editor, blogger trainer on all things job hunting, interview prep career development.

How UK Employees Get Social Media All Wrong

How UK Employees Get Social Media All Wrong To some, social media and work dont mix. But this might soon be a mindset of the past, and the American workforce is pulling ahead of the UK in taking advantage of social media to enhance their careers. In 2015, not having a professional, up to date LinkedIn profile might limit you from grasping the career opportunities you didnt know were available to you. Recruiting has moved online, and this infographic by  scredible  shows why you too must follow the trend. Online Presence and Career Development 54% of US employees believe social media will be very important to their careers in 5 years time Only 39% of UK employees feel the same way Limiting Factors To Social Media Usage 42% of all employees surveyed from both the US and the UK thinks too much useless content it the main reason why theyre not more active on social media 22% are worried about what their boss might think  about their social media activity 57% of men and 51% of women think that social media should be banned in the workplace as it can become a distraction Social Presence And Professional Reputation 75% of US employees thinks social media can enhance their careers Only 57% of UK employees think the same Find out more below!

Get a Job Through a Resume

Get a Job Through a ResumeThe action word resume is one of the newer methods that are being used for resumes these days. This kind of resume will put you ahead of other job applicants. If you want to get a good job, all you need to do is use this style of resume and create your own personal statement to go along with it. Follow the tips below for an action word resume that will help you.Use Paper and Pencil - Don't try to take it to the Internet if you're using a regular old typewriter. These are one of the first steps that people take when they want to try their hand at writing a resume, but it doesn't have to be this way. You should use a paper and pencil to write your entire personal statement. As long as you have a piece of paper to write on, then you should be alright. Not only will this help you to see what you're going to say, but also it will make sure that you stick to the one-page rule.Check the spelling - While this may seem like a big mistake, it's not. People will often skip checking their spelling, so the sooner you check them, the better. What does this mean?It means that you are asking for an interview so the last thing you want to do is make yourself look like a moron by not writing a personal statement that can be read by an employer. Using a typewriter will make this part of the process much easier. Just take a look at some of the other things that an employer is going to read, and you'll be able to write one with your eyes closed.Make Use of Spelling Checks - Spelling is something that doesn't need to be concerned with when it comes to a personal statement. However, you will want to make sure that you are consistently spelling words and phrases correctly so that people see that you are serious about getting a job. This is also important because it will be a tool that you'll use to make sure that you don't forget to check your work.The Action Word Resume is the First Step - Remember that everyone needs to know about your life, education, or t raining before they will even read your personal statement. Some employers might be looking for that and they'll turn to your first paragraph if they aren't seeing anything. So make sure that you focus on this in your first paragraph.In your personal statement, always tell them why you want the job. While you might not always want to say it, most likely you will need to at some point in the process. But just remember that it's all about how you write your personal statement, so keep it short and simple.Try to keep your resume as simple as possible. After all, the only way you're going to get the interview is if they are actually interested in what you have to say.

Key Stage 2 History Vikings KS2 - How 2 Become

Key Stage 2 History Vikings KS2 - How 2 Become The topic of Key Stage 2 History: Vikings is one that is widely taught at primary school level, as it is one that students find exciting and interesting. In addition, it provides teachers with lots of material they can use to demonstrate societal changes over time, which is the key aim of the new national curriculum.This blog will provide you with a rundown of what your child will learn about the Vikings during primary school. Firstly, it is important to note that the national curriculum outlines that the focus of this topic is “the Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England”. However, this will include teaching about the Vikings in a general sense, in order to provide a context to this focus.Here is the breakdown of what your child will learn about the Vikings at primary school, presented in broader chapters, each with a few subtopics:Introduction to the VikingsSubtopics:Meet the Vikings;Viking Beliefs and Religion;Viking Society;Viking Warriors and their Longshi ps.This introductory topic will allow your child to get to know who the Vikings were, when and where they lived, and what was important to them. This will include looking at what early Viking society was like, what Vikings were good at, and how they told stories. Of course, Norse mythology is an important part of the lives of the early Vikings, so your child will be introduced to some Norse gods and stories at this early stage. Also, your child will learn about how the Vikings fought, and why their penchant for longboats was so devastating.Vikings in BritainSubtopics:Exaggerated Reputation?Who were the Anglo-Saxons?First Viking Raids in Britain;Vikings Defeat the Anglo-Saxons;Danelaw.This next topic of Key Stage 2 History: Vikings will dive into what the Vikings did when they started raiding in Britain. Using what they picked up in the first chapter, pupils will discover where and when these first raids occurred, and what actually happened during them. Perhaps teachers will also beg in to challenge overly simplistic views of the Vikings. In relation to this, pupils will probably be introduced to who the Vikings were attacking â€" the Anglo-Saxons. Lessons in this area could include looking at how the Anglo-Saxons lived, in a similar fashion to how your child was introduced to the Vikings. This topic will also start to cover the first Viking settlers in Britain, and their growing power and influence in England.The Anglo-Saxons Strike BackSubtopics:Athelstan;The End of the Danelaw;Spread of Christianity;A Time of Peace in Britain?As its title suggests, this section deals with how the Anglo-Saxons responded to the Vikings taking their land, and some of the English kings that were around during such events. Also, students will begin to discover how English society was changing because of the Vikings.Namely, the Anglo-Saxons and the children of Viking settlers were beginning to merge into one people and share one identity. They were beginning to live the same lives and follow the same religion â€" Christianity. However, this section will also discuss when this process did not unfold peacefully!  If you need more help on this topic…Have a look at our specially created revision guide, designed to be the perfect partner for your child’s learning in this area:This guide contains:Clearly presented and engaging content tailored to the new national curriculum;Numerous practice questions and activities;Many pictures and diagrams to aid learning and retain interest;Advice and guidance for parents about the new syllabusA mock practice paper for you to measure your child’s progress  The breakdown of topics of Key Stage 2 History: Vikings continues below…Vikings Back on TopSubtopics:Ethelred the Unready;Disastrous Danegeld;St Brice’s Day Massacre;A Viking King of England?Next, pupils will begin to discover how this developing society was challenged by a new set of Viking raids, and how England failed to deal with them. At the heart of this, pupi ls will probably be introduced to the famously inept King Ethelred the Unready, and his consistent blunders while trying to keep his subjects safe. Finally, your child will be taught how this new wave of Viking raids resulted in a Scandinavian king of England, as well as the many wars that occurred before, during, and after this event.An Island in ChaosSubtopics:Ethelred the Unready;Disastrous Danegeld;St Brice’s Day Massacre;As the teaching of Key Stage 2 History: Vikings generally concludes in 1066 and the Battle of Hastings, the final topics your child will cover will deal with the death of King Canute and the chaos that this caused in England. Teachers will probably mention what life was like for the everyday person during power struggles, and suggest how despite the huge changes in leadership England had seen, the life of the common person had not changed all that much. Finally, children will be introduced to the conquests of Harald Hardrada, the last Viking to bid for the En glish crown, although he ultimately failed at the expense of William the Conqueror.Summary of Key Stage 2 History: VikingsAll in all, the topic of ‘the Vikings’ at primary school level will see your child cover huge amounts of information during KS1 and KS2. As a result, it is important that you are aware of what they will be learning if you want to help them with their studies. For even more information, or for the new national curriculum itself follow this link to the government website.Also, have a look at our YouTube channel, CareerVidz, for more content and support for your child’s studies at primary school. This entry was posted in Education, Revision. Bookmark the permalink. Henry Hunter Crime Scene Investigator Requirements: The Complete GuideCodebreaker Puzzles â€" Spy Puzzles

Giving Your Offices A Professional Look And Feel

Giving Your Offices A Professional Look And Feel There’s a chance that the importance of first impressions has been overblown. Can you win back those people who didn’t like what they initially saw? Probablybut it’ll be much harder than just getting them on board the first time around. As such, it’s best to make sure there are no question marks about your business. If you give your offices a professional look and feel, you’ll be able to get down to the important matter of taking care of business. Below, we take a look at how you can get your premises in tip-top shape for visitors. First Impressions There are some companies who spend a lot of time taking care of their interiors, yet completely overlook their exteriors! Remember: the first thing that your visitors will see won’t be the splendid interior you’ve crafted. It’ll be your entranceway, the greeting they get from the receptionist, and so on. As such, take steps to make sure that this aspect of your office is watertight. You’ll want your entranceway to be well sign-posted, well-lit, and welcoming. It’ll be the best way to let the world know that beyond those doors, serious work is taking place. Lighting and Infrastructure You can sometimes just get a feel for a place that seems professional, and ones that don’t. But there’s normally a cause for that ‘feeling,’ and it’s the lighting. If you’ve got dark, uninspiring lighting, then you’re not going to impress too many people. If, on the other hand, you have natural lighting, sharp overhead lighting, and polished concrete floors that make the office sparkle, then you’ll be getting off on the right foot. Don’t forget your infrastructure, either: it’s worthwhile having high-quality desks and chairs, and not just to keep your employees on board. Neat and Orderly It doesn’t matter how much effort you put in elsewhere: if your offices are in a state of disarray, then that’s all your visitors are going to see. As such, make sure you’re hiring a cleaning firm to take care of keeping your offices in tip-top condition. Also, consider going digital; there are benefits to your energy bill and the environment, of course, but it’ll also reduce the amount of loose paper that’s flying around the place. It’s much easier to keep the sleek and modern minimalism look in order when you have less stuff in the office. A Space for Meetings There’s nothing worse than inviting someone for a meeting and then just sitting at your open plan desk area. It’s not a professional look. It’s much better to have a dedicated meeting room located within your office, even if that means you can’t have your own private space. Set the Standards Finally, remember to set the standards for your employees! It’ll be much easier to maintain high professional standards across the board if everyone on your team knows what’s expected of them. It might be a case of just ensuring their desks our tidy come the end of the day, but it’ll make a difference.