The top courses to help you get hired September 2018

The top courses to help you get hired September 2018 by Michael Cheary Wish you could learn something new? Stop putting it off.    No matter what subject or career you’re interested in, there’s a course on reed.co.uk to suit you. So whether you’ve always wanted to re-sit your GCSEs or A-levels, or you’re just looking to take the next step up in your day job, you’re never too old to get back into education.To help you go back to school this September, here are three of the top courses you could be starting right now:AWSNeed a new career direction? Find it on Amazon.Amazon Web Services, otherwise known as AWS, is part of the Amazon infrastructure â€" and offers in-demand cloud computing platforms to businesses and individuals across the globe.With the Cloud, companies no longer need to set up their own servers, which often come at a great expense. Instead, they can utilise servers across the Cloud to deliver their results much faster (and cheaper) than they’ve ever done before.It’s also created jobs. A lot of jobs, in fact â€" with AWS professionals needed to ensure the whole process runs smoothly. Which brings us straight back to this course.Run by 360 GSP, one of the UK’s leading tech course providers, this AWS Solutions Architect course is streamed live nationwide, and will cover all the key cloud computing fundamentals.Aside from hands-on experience with AWS deployment and management services, students will gain everything from knowledge of best practices for building AWS applications, through to an understanding of key security features.Once completed, you’ll be fully AWS certified. Which, for one, looks great on your CV.But it’ll also enable you to apply for positions right away â€" with the average AWS Solutions Architect earning a salary of around £60,000.What do I need?  There are no formal requirements (although a general knowledge of AWS may be beneficial).How long will it take?  Six days (part-time).Perfect for:  People who have their head in the Cloud.AWS courseDigital Mar keting Looking to build more dynamic display ads? Need to improve your paid search? Just want to understand where Google rankings actually come from?We’ve got you covered.OK, so we can’t promise to shed light on every one of Google’s algorithm updates. But with this Digital Marketing diploma, you’ll have the next best thing.Made up of modules consisting of all the core digital marketing concepts, you’ll learn fundamentals from social media marketing and search engine optimisation (SEO), through to paid search, email marketing, video advertising and more.Upon successful completion of your course, which is on offer for both full-time (eight day) and part-time (six month) students, you’ll obtain a Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing from the Digital Marketing Institute â€" pretty much the industry standard when it comes to certifications.So whether you’re a complete beginner, or you’re looking to take the next step in your marketing career, you’ll be able to hit your targets.And did we mention a range of finance options are available to help keep studying well within your budget?FIND OUT MORE TODAY*What do I need?  An active interest in all things digital.How long will it take?  Eight days (full-time), or six months (par-time).Perfect for:  People who have already shared this on Snapchat.Six month Digital Marketing courseEight day Digital Marketing course  Business IntelligenceSometimes, to achieve true intelligence you just need to visualise it.Luckily, that’s where Power BI comes in.Created by Microsoft, the industry-leading business analysis tool helps companies across the UK map out their data and make it easier to digest. Whether it’s by creating dashboards that pull numbers in real-time or by sketching out graphs to help break down statistics.This comprehensive Power BI course will help you get-to-grips with the programme and gain practical experience, as well as preparing you to work with data on a daily basis.It’s perfect for anyone looking for a full-time role in analytics. But even if you just want to provide some extra insights in your current position and need a better tool for the job, you’re covered too.And the best part is, it won’t even take a long time to get started. In fact, the course lasts just three days meaning you’ll have an in-depth understanding of complex data analysis (and a new career door opened) in little more than one weekend.Classes are also streamed online, nationwide. So no matter where you are, you’ll be able to learn.Because intelligence doesn’t need to be hard work…What do I need?  A basic knowledge of databases and reporting (as well as key business principles, such as revenue and profitability).How long will it take?  Three days (full-time).Perfect for:  People who want to make their numbers look better.Business Intelligence course  *N.B. You will also learn how to write compelling call-to-actions. You know, just in case…  Not sure which course is right fo r you?  View all available courses now.Find a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the

My Toyota Prius Road Trip Adventure!

My Toyota Prius Road Trip Adventure! This week Ill be writing 4 posts devoted to everything Prius- whether its about the actual Toyota Prius or about firsts in your career/life!  Dont forget to leave us a tweet @MsCareerGirl to tell us about your firsts.  What technology, career situations or trends do you consider firsts? Well be compiling your answers (with a pic link back to your profile) and sharing them in a post Friday July 6th! Hey all, Its been a while since my last post on Ms. Career Girl!  I hope you are all enjoying our amazing columnists as much as I have- I love being able to hear about different topics from different amazing women all across the country on Ms. Career Girl! As for me, Ive been busy growing my content creation service  in Chicago  and started as an Adjunct Professor at DePaul University a few weeks ago too which has been a blast! Oh and lets not forget Im  planning my big September wedding with the help of  Chicagos best wedding planner   thank GOD for Jenee! Among all the craziness, the Toyota Prius c team reached out to me to see if I wanted to test drive the Prius for a few days.  What girl wouldnt?!  Of course I said yes! Out of  curiosity, I looked up what the word Prius actually meant I had always wondered. The word Prius means first or to go before which is pretty ironic  considering the last year of my life has been full of firsts.  In the last 12 months Ive been laid off,  got engaged,  started a business, pitched clients for the first time and hired my own employees all firsts. Oh, and I suppose you could add driving a hybrid car to my list of firsts as well!! The timing of our test drive with the Prius c worked out perfectly because my best friend Katie and I were planning a road trip during the exact weekend I was scheduled to get the Prius.  We were heading back to Youngstown, Ohio to send off Katies sister Laura who was moving to Israel.  Talk about a first! But really whats the best part about taking the Prius on a 400 mile road trip?  Filling up at the gas pump! We made it all the way from Chicago to Youngstown, OH on one tank of gas. When we finally had to fill up, the tank was small enough that it only costed about $30 for gas (versus my big sedans $70+ fill up). We had an awesome time in Youngstown and we are happy to report that Laura is doing great in her new career/life in Israel! It was pretty funny that literally everyone at the party kept asking, Whose Prius is that in the driveway!?!  Even this 89 year old family friend was impressed at the idea of a hybrid car!  Youd have thought I drove in with a classic car or a hot rod with how many questions we got about the Prius in the driveway!  I highly recommend testing out the Prius c yourself! Dont forget to leave us a tweet @MsCareerGirl: whats your Prius? What technology, career firsts or products would you consider a first? Well be compiling your answers and sharing in a post Friday July 6th! XO, Nicole

How to Create an Employer Brand That Reflects Your Company Values

How to Create an Employer Brand That Reflects Your Company Values Natalie Mellin, Global Employer Brand Project Manager at King, spoke to us all about how you can bring an Employee Value Proposition (EVP) to life and how to  differentiate between a your  consumer brand and your employer brand. You can listen to the podcast at SoundCloud or iTunes, or keep reading for a summary of our conversation. About King and their employer brand: We are a games company. We create games for Facebook, mobile, and web.  Candy Crush Saga is one of the games ones that everyone will know. But what people dont know is that we have over 200 games that weve developed. So it wouldve been Farm Heroes Saga, the sister title to Candy Crush, which is called Candy Crush Soda Saga. We also have one of our most recent release which is Paradise Bay, which is a resource management game. Weve been around since 2003. Over the last two years, weve been in a hyper growth phase. So weve literally been working hard on our EVP (Employee Value Proposition) and employer brand strategy in the last two years. We work really hard on our culture. We think this is important. This is how we move forward. So when we look at the culture, you can see the values we have, one of our values being fast and fluent. So we trial a lot of things, see what works, and we will discard the ones that doesnt work and we move forward with the ones that do work. On social media, for instance, we have been struggling a little bit around the IPO when we had a quiet period around how much can we talk about because of the regulations, and what you have to do and cant do around that. And weve also had a bit of a challenge in the beginning to find that perfect mix between our EVP as Seriously Playful. So we were a little bit too playful on social media, which could be okay on social. But we still wanted to showcase how tech savvy we are, so thats something that were focusing on now. How King  established a strong EVP: We put in a lot of research. We worked together with our creative agency Pink Squid. And we put in hours and hours of research working with everyone in the business. It wasnt just the leadership, although leadership and management its really important to get their support. But working with people whove been in the company for a very long time, developers, artists, finance, etc. And out of that, we looked at what was it that was unique with us. So how do we define ourselves as different to any other company, gaming company or tech company. And from that, we came up with our EVP and our communication concept which is Seriously Playful. How to  bring an EVP to life: Again, its about aligning yourself to the business strategy. So what are the important priorities from the business right now? When we started out and we were integrating this, its all about recruitment. We were needing to recruit a huge amount of people. To do that, we then looked at the employee life cycle to keep that as a frame to look at where were the biggest processes and touchpoints. What did we have to do to hit the most amount of people internally as well as externally. But we also focus on the culture. So you can trust your employees or you can put in regulations and their policies, and we choose the former. We trust our employees. We focus on how do we bring the culture to life, the EVP to life, and enable our employees to do the right thing. Kings  consumer brand  differs from their  employer brand: Were one King. We are our games. Its our people who created all of these games. But what we didnt have when we started out with this was the connection. So back two years ago or so, when you opened up one of our games you didnt see the King logo anywhere. So you saw only the games logo. So that was actually an easy start, to make sure that when youre opening up the game, there is a connection to the King brand. And that was one of the first things that we did. The most important recruiting channels: LinkedIn is key, and I dont say that just because we’re here at the LinkedIn conference [Talent Connect London 2015]. It is actually a really big one. But referrals is also really important. Again, it goes back to our employees are so important. Theyre our ambassadors. Were lucky that when we look at our social media channels, we see all of our employees being very active without being asked for it. So you can see them carrying our brand out, but also actively recruiting for us. Looking for new opportunities? Follow us on Linkedin for our latest recruitment updates! https://t.co/fDrHUweap0 pic.twitter.com/bV3z2SJrtc King (@King_Games) October 26, 2015 Kings  new career site: The new career site had 56,000 applications last year. I guess everyone has to go through there, regardless of if theyre coming in through as a referral, or were headhunting someone, or theyre applying to us. Its our main window. I dont know about you, but if you ever been contacted for a job or looking for a job, even if youre not applying through the career site, you will definitely go there and do the research. Right? As well as you would look at the company section of that company. It was really important for us to do a little bit of a cleanup when we started with this, because we had so many different microsites. And they werent connected. They were maybe a little bit out of date when it came to the brands. And they werent really working for us. So we had to do a cleanup operation where we closed down a lot of websites, and we moved everything into one, but still leaving room to showcase the local adaptations. The meaning of  a  great saga needs all sorts of heroes: Thats, you can say, our tagline for diversity inclusion. This was an area where we hadnt been strategic before. Wed done a lot of things, but we hadnt been so strategic. And it was also funny that we didnt need to be that strategic because its so much ingrained in our culture. But we started to feel that we needed to put words on it. And this just really fit within our EVP, within our culture. So thats what we used, and weve built on that now for a year. Most recently, we just redid our job posting guidelines. So thats the guideline that our hiring managers from crews will use when they put together new job adverts, where we have a checklist. Look at making sure that you remove any unconscious bias or any kind of words that is more targeted to maybe the male population. And if we want to look at, we can maybe want to bring in more diverse workforce, what is it that we do and what words did we use to appeal to a larger audience? The next big thing in employer branding: Brand PR marketing and employer brand needs to come closer together, and I think thats the big thing. If you can get that right, you will do so much better as a company. And we need to start remembering, this is one story, its one company that were telling the world. Any candidate of today will be interested in knowing about the stuff that were putting out to our investors, the stuff that were putting out to our players. Theyre not just going to be set in the stuff that will be on the career site. So thats important and we need to start working better and more closely together. And I think marketing and PR, they are starting to understand that as well. Because players and consumers today, they want to know that the company is a responsible corporate citizen. They want to understand what their like to their employees. So it does help both ways. Its not just a one way street. Follow  Natalie on Twitter @mellinnatalie, check out the #lifeatking hashtag and the King careers site jobs.king.com.  [Image Credit: Shutterstock]

Job Seeking Trends for 2018

Job Seeking Trends for 2018 The New Year is right around the corner. If you had a job change in mind or you are currently seeking work, there are some job trends you should be aware of for 2018. Usually, the Holiday Season is a slow time of year for finding work, but it does not mean you should stop looking and prepare yourself for next year!Hiring for PersonalityThe competition is still great for job seekers with currently more than 7.1 million unemployed workers in the US, a number that has barely budged since August 2017. That means lots of people will be going up for jobs and recruiters and hiring managers will be very busy.Hiring managers will be looking for candidates with core skills for specific jobs. However, personality traits will become more important as employers look more for people who fit the company culture.People will no longer be hiring just from your resume, alone. A resume can only convey a personality so much. The ability to interview, trainability, and how you communicate afterward will w eigh greatly on a hiring manager’s decision. Your core skills still matter, yes, but they will not be enough in 2018. You will also have to follow up.Social Media Footprint Will Become More ImportantA survey performed in June 2017 showed that employers were screening candidates more than ever before. 70% of employers now look at the social media footprint of a job candidate before hiring them. 54% of these employers said the job candidate’s social media accounts made them less desirable for hiring or an interview.Ironically, 57% of these employers said they were less likely to hire a candidate who cannot be found online.The moral here: If you are going to have a social media account, then keep it professional and only have your social media profiles on services that you actively monitor. Be your own PR rep.Growing Importance of Digital Resumes or PortfoliosThe job seeker’s most powerful tool for finding work is the internet. It is useful for networking, applying for jobs, comm unicating, and searching for available jobs. It is also a way for people to represent themselves as “the ideal candidate”.A good idea for 2018 is to find yourself a resume writer and start creating digital resumes and portfolios. More and more employers will be using internet tools to find you that way in 2018, so you need to have a professional digital resume or portfolio.In 2018, digital resumes and portfolios will be important. However, what has not changed are the formats and expectations of the resume itself. Hiring managers still expect a simple and reader-friendly format. This expectation has stood the test of time. Only now it has transitioned from paper to digital. Job seekers who want to expand their reach outside of job boards will rely on professionally created personal websites, online portfolios, and LinkedIn connections.ConclusionThe expectations that once existed outside of the digital realm of job-seeking will now be a part of finding work digitally in 2018.Runn ing down the list:You had better get a handle on your social media activity. Get yourself a personal website to display your resume. Have a professional prepare your resume. Be your own PR representative for yourself. If you do not like taking part in online activity, at least have a professional LinkedIn profile.Ultimately, start treating yourself as a “professional brand”. If anything online misrepresents you in an unprofessional manner, get rid of it for the purposeof job seeking. The expectation for professionalism still exists. The only thing that has changed are the tools we use to display it.

LinkedIn Experts Speak Up About the Biggest LinkedIn Executive Job Search Mistakes - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

Experts Speak Up About the Biggest Executive Job Search Mistakes

Unique Holiday Gift Ideas for Job Seekers, Career Changers and More

Unique Holiday Gift Ideas for Job Seekers, Career Changers and More Recently I heard from a client that working with me was the best money she ever spent.   Take care of your loved ones this holiday season with career-inspired gift ideas that truly are an investment in their future.Gifts for job seekers and career changers:For those who could use support and accountability, career coaching gift certificates offer professional guidance for your loved ones needs and goals.Self-study materials like my Soul Search, Research and Job Search workbooks offer a proven process for those looking to move forward.For someone who likes travel, gift a calendar featuring amazing destinations or purchase/contribute to a career exploration retreat.For those who want flexible or remote work, give a subscription to a job board like Flexjobs.comGifts for those looking to re-enter the work force or get a career refresh:Purchase a resume and/or LinkedIn revamp session or a book such at Write to Influence! and support someone in crafting their resume to land their dream job .Set up a consultation with a personal shopper/stylist or get a gift card for sites like StitchFix.Positive affirmations motivate and put one in the proper mindset.   One of my favorites is The Success Indicator. You can get it in posters, laptop skin, coffee mug, etc.Gifts for the eager learner new to the workforce:Gift a ticket to a career seminar, networking event or conference. Sign up for my mailing list to learn about upcoming events and purchase tickets.Purchase a tried and true self-help book like The Success Principles (listen to my interview with the author Jack Canfield).Gifts to celebrate a loved one or friends achievement. Recently I heard from a client that working with me was the best money she ever spent.   Take care of your loved ones this holiday season with career-inspired gift ideas that truly are an investment in their future.Gifts for job seekers and career changers:For those who could use support and accountability, career coaching gift certificates offer professional guidance for your loved ones needs and goals.Self-study materials like my Soul Search, Research and Job Search workbooks offer a proven process for those looking to move forward.For someone who likes travel, gift a calendar featuring amazing destinations or purchase/contribute to a career exploration retreat.For those who want flexible or remote work, give a subscription to a job board like Flexjobs.comGifts for those looking to re-enter the work force or get a career refresh:Purchase a resume and/or LinkedIn revamp session or a book such at Write to Influence! and support someone in crafting their resume to land their dream job .Set up a consultation with a personal shopper/stylist or get a gift card for sites like StitchFix.Positive affirmations motivate and put one in the proper mindset.   One of my favorites is The Success Indicator. You can get it in posters, laptop skin, coffee mug, etc.Gifts for the eager learner new to the workforce:Gift a ticket to a career seminar, networking event or conference. Sign up for my mailing list to learn about upcoming events and purchase tickets.Purchase a tried and true self-help book like The Success Principles (listen to my interview with the author Jack Canfield).Gifts to celebrate a loved one or friends achievement.Celebrate career milestones like graduation or 20 yrs in a career with a plaque or glass art (engraved glass version of diploma for instance) or with a classy pen, cuff links, or jewelry.   Ive been gifted some lovely items my friend from Stella + Dot.   Even an engraved watch is still a hit.Or get creative and buy an advertisement for their business i n the local paper â€" celebrate them and their years in business!This holiday season, when you look for thoughtful gifts to show you care, consider these options and gift your friends and loved ones something that gives back the whole year through.   Happiest of holidays to you yours!

Pros and Cons of Hiring a Professional Resume Writing Service in Pittsburgh PA

Pros and Cons of Hiring a Professional Resume Writing Service in Pittsburgh PAIf you are considering employing a professional resume writing service in Pittsburgh PA, then you will need to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of doing so. This article will discuss some of the advantages of hiring a professional service to write your resume and some of the disadvantages.Your first consideration should be cost. If you do not have a large budget to employ a professional resume writing service in Pittsburgh PA, then it may be an option for you. However, you will have to remember that it will not be an option for most people.With a small budget, you can still hire a professional resume writing service in Pittsburgh PA to write your resume. The downside of hiring a professional service is that they will probably charge more than you would have in the first place. However, this is a much better choice when you have a very limited budget.The other disadvantage of hiring a professiona l service is that they will not always give you the right information about your options. A lot of services, even if they are proficient, will not know everything about your job search options. This can make it difficult for you to choose the best one for your situation.While there are many career coaches who can tell you what options are best for you, sometimes you just have to take the information that you are given by a company at face value. You will need to take your time to consider each option before you make a decision.Also, you should not assume that because a resume writing service in Pittsburgh PA has good reviews that you will receive the same service as someone who has never used their services. As stated earlier, it may be the case that the person or company that gives positive reviews is more skilled than the average resume writer, but this does not mean that all resume writing services in Pittsburgh PA are good.As a matter of fact, there are some reputable companies who will offer free help to people who are struggling to find their career. A professional resume writing service in Pittsburgh PA will be able to help you find the right career path for you. Some companies will provide you with leads that will help you find the right career path.These professionals in Pittsburgh will also be able to teach you how to create a cover letter and how to promote yourself online, something that the majority of the people who have no idea where to start are unaware of. If you need assistance in setting up a career search and getting a job, then you should get in touch with a professional resume writing service in Pittsburgh PA. This way, you will have the help you need to move forward in your career in the right direction.