Seven Ways Military Spouses Can Avoid Resume Mistakes .

As a military spouse you likely take on many duties every day, especially as you try to improve your career skills.  One taxing chore that can be tough to keep up with is creating/updating your resume.  There are some common mistakes that most military spouses  make on their resumes.  Given how busy you are, we want to help you with this task so you can keep your resume out of the “pile” that most will end up in.   So take heed of these simple rules to create a solid resume that will get you the interview.

1. Exaggerating your credentials: What?! Everyone does it right? You see the gaps or descriptions of job duties and feel you have to exaggerate your experience, talents or titles.  What this really means is simple:  you don’t like your current resume, so it is time to revise it.  Revising does not mean exaggerating, it just means providing clarity.  Think back to your time at these jobs; did you receive any awards?  Work on any special projects?  What work was critical to making the customer happy?  Answer these questions and you won’t be exaggerating; you’ll be providing the important information employers want to know.
2. Thinking the title of your job will tell it all: Don’t expect HR or hiring managers to be mind readers. You need to spell out everything that you did with your past jobs. Don’t just copy and paste a job description.  Try to write out a one or two sentence summary of what you did, specifically focusing on how what you did provided value to your company.  From there you’ll start to get a better idea of how to clearly explain what you did in your position.
3. Sending out old resumes: Face it we all despise updating our resumes. It’s a daunting task, but keeping it up to date shows employers you care about yourself and the position you are applying for.  Updating your resume has to be done and sometimes you will have two or three resumes going depending on the jobs for which you are applying.
4. Not explaining employment gaps: You will likely have gaps, stemming either from having your precious kiddos to PCS-ing or even the many “hurry up and wait” situations the military will put your through. You can minimize them by using a functional style resume instead of a chronological resume. This way you can showcase your skills upfront and focus on what you can bring to the table, rather than worrying about meeting some artificial timeline.
5. For your enjoyment only: Your resume is not for you! Sorry tough love here. Although this is a picture of your work history and is indeed only about you, this resume is for the hiring manager or HR specialist to help them see that you meet their needs to fill an open position. They want to see that what you have done will allow them to not just fill the position but be successful as well.
6. Not tooting your own horn: Toot, Toot! This can be a tough step, many of us don’t do well when having to write down all of our accomplishments. I said this in point #2 above and I will say it again: Don’t copy and paste a job description. If you do that, you will not prove that you made the job your own. It will also show that you have zero initiative and imagination.  So take some time to get into a mindset where you have extra pride in what you have done and then write out your accomplishments; it really does help.
7. Sit and wait for a phone call back: There are likely hundreds of people out there applying for that job too. Don’t just sit there and wait. Networking is key — find a friend, neighbor or anyone who will help you put your resume at the top of the stack. Also, follow up a few days after you send the resume with a call or email.

The most important thing is don’t give up! As a military spouse you have so much to offer a company even if you only have a few years’ experience.  Network as much as possible and brush off your LinkedIn account. And remember – Bama At work and World Education.net provide each of our students a dedicated career coach who helps them with resume writing, interviewing skills, and networking.   We also offer the MyCAA scholarship to qualified military spouses. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google + , LinkedIn or visit our website for more info and news about Professional Development, Online Training and how to improve your professional profile.

Article by Kelly Fuhlman, Director of Social Media  for World Education , and is personally involved in helping others make a better life for themselves through education. World Education is one of the main partner of the University of Alabama for Online Certificate Programs.

Creating a High Performing Team.

One of my favorite quotes is from Albert Einstein, who said, “I never teach my pupils, I only provide the conditions in which they can learn.”  This is a key concept to remember when you start exercising more leadership the further you get into your career.  In determining what kind of leader you will be, you need to know how to create the conditions to produce a high performing team that will grow.

Learning the ropes as a manager can be a long and difficult ride, but it doesn’t have to be.  Here are the most common tips to use to foster an atmosphere of growth within your teams.

1. Your title is not enough: Sorry to tell you but the titles of “director,” “manager” or “VP” will not move your people to outperform their past efforts. It is about learning to earn the respect of your team.  It is about getting out of your office and getting your hands dirty, showing them you are willing to work just as hard as they are to get the job done!

2. We are friends: You have to have defined lines to properly lead others. Yes, you want to have an open door policy for your team, but seek a balance that helps them to help themselves.

3. Goals? What is that: Along with defined lines, your people need to have clear goals they have to accomplish every day, week, month, quarter and year. These need to be 100% understood so they know how to prioritize their day to accomplish projects and tasks in the proper order.

4. I have to hire someone now: The impact of hiring the wrong person can only create more stress on you and your team. Take your time when hiring, make sure they are a good fit within the company and your team’s culture. Hire a team member not just a body!

5. Everyone is motivated by money: Although your employees do need to pay their bills, many of them are not solely motivated by money. Some are motivated by work/life balance and maybe telecommuting can get their performance to increase. Others may need a pat on the back, extra responsibility, or even a sense of camaraderie with the company or team. Everyone is different so help them build SMART goals and watch them shine!

We know there is so much more to being a manager, and that is why we have released our newly expanded catalog of professional enrichment courses.  Built for convenience and packed with quality instruction, our professional development and enrichment courses can help you master many of the obstacles you face when improving your career and teams.  These courses range from business and health to courses that help grow your perspective on the world.  These affordable courses can range from 1 hour of your time to just a few weeks to finish. Bama At Work, The University of Alabama partners with World Education to offer students 100% online career training programs. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google + , LinkedIn or visit our website for more info and news about Professional Development, Online Training and how to improve your professional profile.

Article by Kelly Fuhlman, Director of Social Media  for World Education , and is personally involved in helping others make a better life for themselves through education. World Education is one of the main partner of the University of Alabama for Online Certificate Programs.

Show Your Skills with Digital Badges.

When it comes to the hiring process, social media is now something many employers check out when evaluating candidates.  Whether it’s a LinkedIn page or Facebook profil or even Twitter, wouldn’t it be great to have your education institution endorse you with digital badges for the skills you have learned?

For many adults, the idea of a “badge” comes with memories of our childhood as a Boy Scout or Girl Scout. We had to earn each badge by completing a task and demonstrating our knowledge and skill. We then handed that badge over to our mom or grandmother to sew onto our vest so we could display it with pride. What if there was an opportunity as an adult to earn knowledge and skill badges with the ability to digitally display for all to see? With Digital Badges from World Education.net and Bama At Work, you can do just that!

Digital Badges are a way of displaying the skills you possess based on the courses you have completed; think of it as your own portfolio.  Your skill badges are issued by your education institution, so it is your own university that is vouching for you.  You can download your digital badges as you complete your courses.  They are stored in your “Backpack” online, and from there you can share them via Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and Facebook.

We are committed to enhancing your value and this is another tool we provide to help you succeed in the modern workplace.  Bama At Work, The University of Alabama partners with World Education to offer students 100% online career training programs. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google + , LinkedIn or visit our website for more info and news about Professional Development, Online Training and how to improve your professional profile.

Article by Kelly Fuhlman, Director of Social Media  for World Education , and is personally involved in helping others make a better life for themselves through education. World Education is one of the main partner of the University of Alabama for Online Certificate Programs.

7 Questions to ask Your Career Coach in Online Training.

We often see the term “coach” and think about athletics or using a trainer at the gym to help us fit into our summer clothes.  Yet we rarely think about a career coach to help guide us through our pursuit of a better life at work. Let’s face it: as jobseekers, we only have so much knowledge of how to polish our resumes, put the perfect cover letter together to get the attention of a hiring manager, and find different ways to network. This is why having an experienced career coach who focuses on your success will help so much once you finish your education or certification program.

Many schools or universities offer “career coaching” as a part of their enrollment processes, but what is a career coach exactly, and what should you be looking for in a coach?  The bottom line is a career coach should help you assess your professional situation with a good amount of honesty, curiosity, empathy and compassion. With the normal amount of anxiety that comes with the job search, your career coach should help you feel comfortable and inspire you to keep going. The largest part of a career coach’s job is to bring you out of your shell and help you understand that just submitting your resume to online job search engines will not give you the kind of return you want. Career coaching is extremely personal so make sure you do your research before you commit.

Here are a few questions you should ask during your research:

1. Just like with a sports coach, you want to know a career coach’s win/loss record. If you are talking to a school or university, ask what their career services statistics are and get them to show you the following: their student graduation rate, success in passing certification exams, and their career statistics. If you want to learn more, look up Gainful Employment Regulations.
2. Find out their career path. You want to make sure that the person who is coaching you had both coaching experience and real world experience as well.
3. Geographic location is another option for you to consider. Technology like Skype gives you the opportunity to choose a coach from anywhere in the world. This is your own preference so make sure you are comfortable with your choice.
4. Interview your top two or three picks. Ask about the following: fees, rates (they may vary from $50 to $300 per hour), how often you will meet, and for how long. Most coach-client relationships last from six months to a year.
5. Whether it is a school or a career coach, you need to ask what is included in his or her “experience.” It should include some of the following: goal setting, time management, study skills, and your motivation to advance.
6. If you are working with your school or university, then there are also a few important questions you should ask and have answered. Will they help you build a solid resume? If there are certification requirements involved, ask them how they can help you. Are there hands-on job experience opportunities they can help you with such as externships or internships? Will they teach you how to market yourself and network? Also, find out if they will set up mock interview sessions with you to prepare you for that job interview.
7. More than anything chemistry and connection with your coach should be top on your list. You will have to be comfortable with sharing intimate details of your life with your coach, so it’s important that you like and see him or her as an equal.

Bama At Work and our partner World Education.net will assign our students a dedicated career coach from Day 1 who will assist them with a success plan from training to a fulfilling career. We offer our graduates career development assistance up to 1 year after course completion to make sure they are on track to find that dream job!

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google + , LinkedIn or visit our website for more info and news about Professional Development, Online Training and how to improve your professional profile.

Article by Kelly Fuhlman, Director of Social Media  for World Education , and is personally involved in helping others make a better life for themselves through education. World Education is one of the main partner of The University of Alabama for Online Certificate Programs.

 

Is There a Skills Gap in the American Workforce?

According to the Department of Labor, nationwide there are 4 million jobs which go unfilled, yet there are also 10 million Americans unemployed. How can we have millions of open job opportunities with so many Americans out of work?

Normally in America we assume that if we have these high unemployment numbers then this means that jobs are scarce.  There have been many conversations in Congress and stories from news programs that tell a different story. We essentially have what is being called a “skills gap”. This gap can explain much about our current situation and, if addressed properly, we could help our unemployment rate decrease.

So let us address the issues with unskilled workers. With college admissions at an all-time high it is puzzling that, according to a Manpower survey “Growth 2012 Talent Shortage Survey”, 49% of employers struggle to fill jobs. Basically there are jobs waiting to be filled, but current job seekers who may have a good education lack the skills needed to do these specific jobs. America in some ways has become snobbish when it comes to finding the perfect “career.” It seems we are conditioned to the idea that if we show up in a suit and tie with a day full of conference calls and meetings then this is seen as a career. On the other hand when we hear someone say I work at a chemical plant, oil refinery, landscaping business or in some of the IT jobs, then we regard these positions as “just over broke” (JOB) work. However it couldn’t be further from the truth.  These manual and/or blue collar jobs are the skills needed to help Americans stay competitive in manufacturing and IT industries.

We have also raised a generation of talented young adults who feel a sense of entitlement as it relates to their job options. A quote from Thomas Edison captures this: “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” This quote is so true with many of our young generation — it’s as if they feel like a corner office in a tall high-rise is the only way to go. Along with the “it should be handed to me” mentality, it can be difficult for employers to find employees with the work ethic needed to succeed in open positions.

On the flip side, let’s face the fact that companies are cutting back on benefits for their employees. Corporations in the past would offer “perks” like tuition reimbursement for continuing your education as well as free programs and courses through their Human Resources department. These days, with the tighter economy and higher cost to offer health insurance to employees, companies have offered less and less of these benefits. Many small-to medium-sized companies are unable to offer these benefits to their employees to keep them relevant and prepared for the future.

So how do we help companies and employees prepare themselves for today and the future, especially when many of the careers available today did not exist 10 years ago? We have to keep learning even after we graduate from high school, college or vocational school. There are so many ways we can keep up-to-date with different opportunities and not have to walk into a classroom. Many colleges and universities offer 100% online certification courses to add to your resume and keep your brain moving forward. These courses range from leadership to IT, medical and skilled trades.

Bama At Work and its partner World Education are at the forefront of efforts like these to help keep Americans employed, and are committed to offer online certificate programs that will keep Americans up-to-date with relevant skills so they can find sustained employment. Many of these programs we offer are in the skilled trades, sustainability and IT industries. Many of these programs are low cost programs that allow students to study in the comfort of their own homes and on their own time.   So take heart, and with Bama At Work by your side, you can close the skills gap.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google + , LinkedIn or visit our website for more info and news about professional development, Online Training and how to improve your professional profile.

Article by Kelly Fuhlman, Director of Social Media  for World Education , and is personally involved in helping others make a better life for themselves through education. World Education is one of the main partner of the University of Alabama for Online Certificate Programs

Wedding Planner Certificate with Dina Manzo

Dina Manzo from the Real Housewives of New Jersey has experienced life as a mother, an actor, an entrepreneur, a philanthropist, and, now, an instructor. She has developed a party planner course detailing event planning in a way that only she can. Dina’s course titled, “It’s My Party and I’ll Plan If I Want To” combines the unique style of the guests of honor with her own lavish designs.  She uses her own experiences, both successes and failures, of starting a wedding planning company to teach her own prosperous party planning business course.

Dina is not only known for staring in The Real Housewives of New Jersey but also her HGTV show called, “Dina’s Party” a weekly party-planning series and through her Project Ladybug, a non-profit organization that has raised over one million dollars to help children with cancer.  Dina Manzo’s exclusive party planning course is for the sophisticated homemaker.  It outlines the fundamental need for planning any event, from pre-planning accessories to thank you notes, and all the planning in between.  Dina teaches the Do-It-Yourselfer how to stylize your own event using practical, everyday items to achieve your own signature style.  The course covers table setting etiquette, food and wine pairing, choosing a menu and much more.

If you are interested in Dina Manzo’s party planning course, “It’s My Party and I’ll Plan If I Want To,” you can get more information through the University of Alabama online course website .  If you are interested in becoming a Certified Wedding Planner, The University of Alabama online certificate will prepare you to enter into the exciting, fast-growing world of wedding and event planning, and this certificate includes Dina Manzo’s party planning course “It’s My Party and I’ll Plan If I Want To.”

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google + or LinkedIn for more info and news about professional development, new career opportunities and online courses.

How to get Comfortable with Technology for Online Courses .

Studying for online courses requires some unique considerations for you to understand in order for you to be comfortable, and thus effective, in completing your course.

Now, some people have the impression that online education can be lonely and voice the concern that they feel isolated at their computer with nowhere to go for help or guidance. Part of the underlying reason for this is many students do not have a total understanding of the obligations of the student when it comes to online education.  So let’s look at some of the technical issues that can help an online student be most successful.

TECHNOLOGY

The first thing you need to have is an understanding of the technical aspects of online education.  The goal is to be comfortable with the technology so you can focus purely on learning.  With this in mind everyone has different comfort levels with technology, and let’s face it technical issues will happen.  The question becomes what can you do to fix the problem?  By acquiring some fundamental computer skills, you can help make your studying easier and more effective.

• Ask and make sure your computer’s operating system and browser are compatible with the online curriculum.
• Make sure you are comfortable with doing general computer work:  being able to type a document or email, knowing how to search the web, clear cookies, enable or disable pop up blockers and attach documents, etc.
• Know how to routinely backup your files in the event of a computer malfunction or virus.
• Make sure to organize files in a basic manner so that you can easily find what you need to work on.

PROGRAMS AND EQUIPMENT

Be prepared to purchase some equipment and or programs you should have available or installed so that you can focus on learning the curriculum in your program.

You should have a printer and ink cartridges available for printing any necessary materials for review.  Don’t forget to have extra paper on hand!

•  Have a PDF reader installed on your computer.  PDF files are a common way to view course material offline or outside a course.
• Sometimes, documents are in other formats besides a PDF file.  In this case the student should have Microsoft Word, Open Office or Google Docs installed and ready to use when needed.
• Review FAQs for the course so you can see questions other students have had, and sometimes you may find tips on any additional equipment you should need.
• Check with your instructor to make sure you are getting all equipment for the program (such as headsets, foot pedals, textbooks, etc.) or if your school is shipping your equipment; ask for a tracking number and estimated time of arrival.

  INTERNET ETIQUETTE

Communicating in any medium should involve good conduct and respect for everyone involved.  Here are a few helpful tips you can implement to make sure you convey this online:

• Do not write emails in all caps—this is considered yelling at someone. Instead, underline or bold words that you wish to highlight.
• Contact your instructors during their working hours.  If you have an urgent issue, give your instructor a call or request to schedule a conference in advance to guarantee that both of you have time to speak.
• Remember that anything you write in an email can easily be forwarded to anyone.  So choose your words wisely and do not say things in emails that you might be embarrassed about should they be circulated.
• Student forums are also a way of communicating with other students (and instructors) on the Internet. Be polite and professional.  It is fine to make personal connections, but be careful not to raise inappropriate topics.

By becoming comfortable with the technology used in your online program you can ensure that you can overcome any obstacle that prevents you from focusing on your studies.  Be confident about your technical knowledge, and good studying to you!

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google + or visit our website for more info and news about professional development, Online Training and how to improve your professional profile.

Article by Kelly Fuhlman, Director of Social Media  for World Education , and is personally involved in helping others make a better life for themselves through education. World Education is one of the main partner of the University of Alabama for Online Certificate Programs

How Can Military Spouses Find Help Integrating the Civilian Workforce?

The National Military Spouse Appreciation Day is the opportunity to recognize the powerful difference spouses make in the lives of military service members.

The month of May is dedicated to the appreciation of our military, as designated by Congress in 1999. During this month we honor the present and past members of the U.S Armed Forces who served or are still serving our country. May was chosen because of the high number of days set aside for celebrating and commemorating U.S military achievements, like Loyalty Day, Victory in Europe Day (WWII), Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day and Military Spouse Appreciation Day.

Today we will focus on this last day, Military Spouse Appreciation Day on May 9, to honor the husbands and wives of our military forces members, who play a very important role in keeping our military forces strong. Even if their role in the Army is widely acknowledged, they still experience a real challenge when it comes to employment. The infographic below shows data about the situation of military spouses in the job market.

 

 

To help military spouses pursue their education and find the job they deserve, some programs have been implemented.  MyCAA (Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts) programs, sponsored by the Department of Defense Spouse Education and Career Opportunity Program, are available for any military spouse who wants to enroll for a license or a certification. These programs can grant up to $4,000 over two years for scholarship assistance.  On top of granting money for tuition, MyCAA programs provide employment counseling and assistance through employer references.

Bama At Work, the professional development service of the University of Alabama, supports the effort for military spouses’ employment and on this day, we wish to renew our involvement. All our certificate programs are eligible for MyCAA assistance, even the online training programs for spouses currently deployed overseas.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google + or visit our website for more info and news about military spouse careers, MyCAA programs and how to improve give a boost to your civilian career.