Email Signature Critique Julianne Franke

Email Signature Critique Julianne Franke Julianne is a student in my new Certified LinkedIn Career Strategist program (which I hear is awesome, by the way :p).  In our last session we talked about email signatures and I asked if I could share a critique of her signature with you she agreed  Here is her old signature, with my thoughts: I think its funny when people have an email signature with their name, but they put their name again.  It just looks a little funny.  Ive had to get used to having my signature and not putting my name twice on each email. This is alphabet soup for job seekers, really. When I was in a job search I didnt know what any of those certifications meant, and they werent significant to me.  I have a bias, though in IT, a few years back, IT certifications were somewhat meaningless.  I think it immediately distracts from what your marketing/branding message is by adding stuff that doesnt make sense to your target audience (perhaps put this down lower?). The two lines under her name are good they give me information about her and what she does.  Too often this is jargon, and people might not understand what it really means. Ive started to tell job seekers they should try and say I help people/companies _____ by ______. with NO jargon or cliche. I dont know what a NOW WHAT facilitator is or does even putting connecting you with your purpose doesnt help me get it.  Can you say this in simple English, so I can immediately get it? Telephone, skype, email, websites, LI and FB profiles are all good and perhaps appropriate.  My only concern is that this is a very long email signature, and I think the longer it is, the less likely it will be read in its entirety which means people might miss your branding message. Fax?  If you take anything off, Id take this off, since it probably is important to less than .5% of the people you email. And if it is important you can simply email it to them, without cluttering up your branding message. This was a gotcha!  Many people would put @juliannefranke, but you didnt. I would suggest people who ARE on Twitter would be fine with an @, and not to put Twitter: ____.  People who ARE NOT on Twitter will likely not know what to do with this handle.  It also isnt a hyperlink either put @____ or put the entire URL (so it becomes a hyperlink). Overall I think it is a good email signature, but go back to these points and you can see some opportunity to really tighten it up Email Signature Critique Julianne Franke Julianne is a student in my new Certified LinkedIn Career Strategist program (which I hear is awesome, by the way :p).  In our last session we talked about email signatures and I asked if I could share a critique of her signature with you she agreed  Here is her old signature, with my thoughts: I think its funny when people have an email signature with their name, but they put their name again.  It just looks a little funny.  Ive had to get used to having my signature and not putting my name twice on each email. This is alphabet soup for job seekers, really. When I was in a job search I didnt know what any of those certifications meant, and they werent significant to me.  I have a bias, though in IT, a few years back, IT certifications were somewhat meaningless.  I think it immediately distracts from what your marketing/branding message is by adding stuff that doesnt make sense to your target audience (perhaps put this down lower?). The two lines under her name are good they give me information about her and what she does.  Too often this is jargon, and people might not understand what it really means. Ive started to tell job seekers they should try and say I help people/companies _____ by ______. with NO jargon or cliche. I dont know what a NOW WHAT facilitator is or does even putting connecting you with your purpose doesnt help me get it.  Can you say this in simple English, so I can immediately get it? Telephone, skype, email, websites, LI and FB profiles are all good and perhaps appropriate.  My only concern is that this is a very long email signature, and I think the longer it is, the less likely it will be read in its entirety which means people might miss your branding message. Fax?  If you take anything off, Id take this off, since it probably is important to less than .5% of the people you email. And if it is important you can simply email it to them, without cluttering up your branding message. This was a gotcha!  Many people would put @juliannefranke, but you didnt. I would suggest people who ARE on Twitter would be fine with an @, and not to put Twitter: ____.  People who ARE NOT on Twitter will likely not know what to do with this handle.  It also isnt a hyperlink either put @____ or put the entire URL (so it becomes a hyperlink). Overall I think it is a good email signature, but go back to these points and you can see some opportunity to really tighten it up Email Signature Critique Julianne Franke Julianne is a student in my new Certified LinkedIn Career Strategist program (which I hear is awesome, by the way :p).  In our last session we talked about email signatures and I asked if I could share a critique of her signature with you she agreed  Here is her old signature, with my thoughts: I think its funny when people have an email signature with their name, but they put their name again.  It just looks a little funny.  Ive had to get used to having my signature and not putting my name twice on each email. This is alphabet soup for job seekers, really. When I was in a job search I didnt know what any of those certifications meant, and they werent significant to me.  I have a bias, though in IT, a few years back, IT certifications were somewhat meaningless.  I think it immediately distracts from what your marketing/branding message is by adding stuff that doesnt make sense to your target audience (perhaps put this down lower?). The two lines under her name are good they give me information about her and what she does.  Too often this is jargon, and people might not understand what it really means. Ive started to tell job seekers they should try and say I help people/companies _____ by ______. with NO jargon or cliche. I dont know what a NOW WHAT facilitator is or does even putting connecting you with your purpose doesnt help me get it.  Can you say this in simple English, so I can immediately get it? Telephone, skype, email, websites, LI and FB profiles are all good and perhaps appropriate.  My only concern is that this is a very long email signature, and I think the longer it is, the less likely it will be read in its entirety which means people might miss your branding message. Fax?  If you take anything off, Id take this off, since it probably is important to less than .5% of the people you email. And if it is important you can simply email it to them, without cluttering up your branding message. This was a gotcha!  Many people would put @juliannefranke, but you didnt. I would suggest people who ARE on Twitter would be fine with an @, and not to put Twitter: ____.  People who ARE NOT on Twitter will likely not know what to do with this handle.  It also isnt a hyperlink either put @____ or put the entire URL (so it becomes a hyperlink). Overall I think it is a good email signature, but go back to these points and you can see some opportunity to really tighten it up

Is It Better To Save Money Or Pay Off Debt First

Is It Better To Save Money Or Pay Off Debt First Most people feel confused when they have a pending debt and they are also supposed to save for the future. In fact, no one wishes to borrow money from a bank. It’s actually unavoidable circumstances that force people to borrow money. Majority of the people borrow due to the fact that they can’t afford to cough out a huge amount of money when they want to further their studies, buy a home or a car. Whether you want to save or pay off a debt, each option has its benefits. When you pay a pending debt, your credit score improves, meaning you can afford to apply for other loans. On the other hand, saving ensures that you have money that you can use in case an emergency happens. But this still doesn’t answer the question-should you pay off debt or save first? It all depends on your situation Evaluate Your Financial Situation The easiest way of knowing which option should take the first priority is by evaluating your financial situation. This means that you must first consider the debt that you are supposed to pay off. But you have to be thorough when analyzing your debt because you have to factor into the loan’s interest rate and the payment period that was agreed between you and the lender. You should also analyze your earnings to determine how much money you should be saving every month. In fact, you should do math on your expenses. It’s never a good idea to save without first knowing what fraction of your income should be set aside for paying bills including the loan. Don’t save first if Loan Interest is High Every loan has an interest rate. This is because lenders give out money with the intention of making profit when the agreed interest rate is paid back in full. If the loan you took has a high interest rate, it’s advisable you prioritize on clearing it before saving for other purposes. Keep in mind that accumulated interest can overwhelm you in the long run. You should actually commit to making a high monthly contribution so that you can finish offsetting the debt faster. In fact, you should put development and investment plans on pending mode until you are done with the loan. If you opt to balance between paying the debt and saving, you might strain for too long due to the high interest rate. Save First if Loan Interest is Low When you have a debt that has a low interest rate such as a mortgage loan or a student loan, it’s advisable you first stash money in an account for unexpected emergencies. This is because the interest you pay is pegged is not pegged on the principle amount. You can therefore be sure that the loan amount will not increase when you slash your monthly payment. Once you have saved a considerable amount of money, you can then use it to pay the outstanding debt. You can invest your savings and then pay using the profit that you will earn.

How To Revitalize Your Career In 2017

How To Revitalize Your Career In 2017 With 2016 behind you, it’s time to get your mojo for the new year off to a good start. Right now is the best time to plan how you are going to build momentum and keep your stamina up. Don’t just have a few resolutions, make some solid plans to move the needle. Let’s take a look at 7 basic strategies to make 2017 your favorite yearâ€"the year when you make your biggest career breakthroughs. 7 Ways to Recharge Your Career Assuming you have a chosen career, the question you can ask is how to take it to the next level. Here are seven steps to take to create a clear and effective plan of action: Evaluate how last year went. Look at the past year with detachment. What did you learn from both your failures and successes? Although you may have started out last year with high hopes and achieved some remarkable breakthroughs, it’s now time to re-evaluate the year to get clear about why you don’t have what you want already. If you are not where you want to be, it’s because of some limiting circumstances. Begin by making a list of things that are not working and come up with possible solutions. For instance, you may need to attend more industry conferences but don’t like air travel for health reasons. Perhaps, you have deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which makes air travel uncomfortable because of the altitude. One solution is to wear womens compression products  like compression socks to improve blood flow. Another solution might be to research ways to keep your feet healthy and comfortable. Here’s another example: Things may not be working out for you because you lack specific skills to advance in your career. In this case, the solution might be to get a mentor or take classes to increase your knowledge and skills. So whatever the issue, understand that there is also a solution for it. Decide what it is that you want. You must get a very clear picture of what it is that you aspire to achieve. Without a vision, you will simply repeat what you did last year. Make a list of goals for the year and break it up into sub-goals. If your goal is to get more clients for your business, a subgoal might be to review business networking opportunities in your city. Create a plan. Now that you know what you want and what’s in the way of achieving the success you desire, you need a clear set of directions to follow. You need a plan. Figure out the best way to achieve your goals based on what you now know. As you learn more, your plans will change. Get clear on your marketing message. Regardless of the type of business you’re in, marketing is an essential aspect of it. For marketing, you need a clear message. What is it that you or your business does? How are you different from others in your line of business? What can you do to increase the value of your business and how can you communicate it? Understand your target audience. Unless you know what your market wants from you, you can’t deliver the goods. An intimate knowledge of your target audience will help you communicate in a way that they respond to. It will also help you develop the products or services that they will buy. Without a clear understanding of your target audience, it’s a hit-or-miss issue. Outline your important milestones on a calendar. Setting goals and making plans is a good start, but you have to be able to project where you want to be at a certain time. Suppose, for instance, you want to get 500 new clients to subscribe to your online newsletter. After you decide how you’re going to do it, try to estimate how long it will take you to achieve that number. Perhaps, you want to hit a certain income level. Again, decide how you will do it and then estimate when you will be able to do it. By setting a deadline, you will avoid procrastinating on it. It doesn’t really matter if you don’t meet the deadlineâ€"the main thing is that you’re moving forward. If you don’t meet the deadline, then just set another when the time comes. Figure out what it will cost in time and money to achieve your goals. There is always a price to pay when you want to move from where you are now to where you want to be. ·   You may have to pay the price in terms of study, learning skills that will increase your market value. ·   You may have to pay the price in terms of a personality shift, becoming more outgoing and better at maintaining positive relationships. ·   You may have to pay the price in terms of effort, learning strategies to increase your productivity. Besides paying the price of effort, you will probably have to spend money to improve your career, tooâ€"attend conferences, take courses, or try out new marketing initiatives. Figure out your budget or how you will raise the money. By getting clear on the price you are willing to pay upfront, you will be ready to move ahead. Use these 7 steps to set a different chain of events in motion for 2017. . Image credits. Main.   Planning.     Progress.

This is Why Personal Branding Needs to be Important to You - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

This is Why Personal Branding Needs to be Important to You - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career I know you’re a solid citizen. You’re a quick learner and truly smart. You try hard. You’re pretty cool. You get along with people. You set a respectable example. You want to help and connect with others, to serve society. You aim to contribute meaningful work. You have dreams and goals to achieve something groundbreaking. You’re motivated by money, title, and power to a certain extent, but you are more motivated by growth opportunities and success for your kids. You plan to accelerate your career growth quicklyâ€"to play full out, use all your talent, and bring something to the world it hasn’t had before. Andâ€"at least on paperâ€" you are just like every other ambitious individual. Let me ask you: Who couldn’t say those things about himself or herself? That list of career aspirations is remarkably alike and interchangeable for almost everyone. It’s acceptable but not exceptional. Today, you have to exceed in a group of exceed-ers. As fine as you are and as well you’re doing, you can do betterâ€"so people will want to promote you, conduct business with you, follow you, and recommend you to others. Thats why I write this blog: to contribute at least a little to help you set yourself apart from other good people. Debra Bentons new book from McGraw-Hill is now available on Amazon.  The Leadership Mind Switch: Rethinking how we lead in the new world of work.

Tips For Writing a Resume in an Online World

Tips For Writing a Resume in an Online WorldIt is not uncommon to come across tips for writing a resume in an online world. However, many of them are true but a few are not. One should not fall into the trap of following such tips blindly end up spending a lot of time on the computer instead of working hard at their current job.In fact, online writing can be very beneficial as it can help you learn the right way of going about it. Not only can it give you tips on how to write a resume in an online world, it can also lead you to some other useful information about the job market as well. Here are some tips for writing a resume in an online world. Read on!First and foremost, you need to gather all the necessary information about your background. This includes the curriculum vitae, references, educational details, etc. If this information is not readily available in your school, college or university, try to search for it somewhere on the internet.If there is any information about you a vailable on the internet, then go ahead and collect it. When you are done with this, you can move on to the next step. Take down the job you have held during your schooling and all the jobs that you have held after that. Make sure you mention all the important dates as well.On top of this, start creating a clear-cut list of all the important features you possess. Some of the important features include the names of all the employers you have worked for, the titles of all the positions you have held in your various jobs, etc. While creating your resume, keep in mind that you need to present yourself in the best possible light.For this, you need to have some idea about the most important criteria for employers to check out. What criteria is there that employers look for? Basically, they want to know if you have the ability to get along with others, if you are outgoing, and if you are dependable. Once you have identified these, write down the criteria in a short paragraph or two.Now, yo u need to take a look at your academic credentials. Here, you need to remember that not all information on your school records should be shared with anyone. Even if you have completed your school work completely, you will still need to consult your friends and relatives to clarify any details you might have omitted.If you find any erroneous information, then verify it and update the relevant information. This will also help you keep your resume clean and fresh and give a refreshing look to it. Finally, when you have added all the requisite facts on your resume, then you should polish it with your personal touch.

Tips for a Successful Career in the Oil and Gas Industry

Tips for a Successful Career in the Oil and Gas Industry We hear a lot about the world’s biggest companies, but in amidst all that fanfare, it’s easy to forget that there’s an industry that powers virtually all of them: the oil and gas industry. As such, this can be one of the best sectors to work in. The potential to earn a high wage is strong, the jobs are varied, and it’s certain to be at the forefront of the global economy in one way or another in the decades to come. But how do you develop a successful career in this industry? We take a look below. Photo by Lukas from Pexels Get in on the Ground Floor The earlier you enter the industry, the greater your chance of having long-term success. If you’ve just finished college, then you should be trying to find an internship in one of the bigger gas and oil companies. Competition for the best positions can be fierce, so you’ll have to prove that you have the commitment and determination to work in the industry. Once you’re inside the industry, it can be easier than in other industries to move up the ranks. Find a Mentor There are a lot of established players in the gas and oil industry, and they will have a lot of invaluable advice to share. But they’re not just going to walk up to you and start talking: you have to seek them out! On this front, you can be well-served by getting a mentor to work with. There are no straightforward career paths in the world of gas and oil, and it’s easy to be a little bamboozled by the options in front of you. By speaking with someone who has been there, done that, you can be sure you’re heading in the right direction. Understand All Aspects of the Industry You don’t need us to tell you just how large and varied the oil and gas industry is. Take petroleum; it’s divided into five sectors (upstream, downstream, pipeline, marine, and service and supply). While you won’t be able to be a bona fide expert in all of these aspects, you should have some understanding of how they work and link into one another. Take some time learning about oil data management, the extraction process, and the logistics of the overall operation, among others, and you’ll be in a better position to get ahead. Like as in most other industries, knowledge is power. Look Ahead The gas and oil industry is never really static, but it might be forced to change in dramatic ways in the near future. As some of the big players pump more and more money into clean energy, it might be that the ways of operating may be much different in the future. Keep one eye on the future, see where the oil companies are investing their profits, and you’ll be unlikely to be left behind. With the tips above and a large dose of hard work, you should be in a position to carve out a successful career in this industry!

Top 5 reasons green workplaces make their employees happy at work - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Top 5 reasons green workplaces make their employees happy at work - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog More and more companies are starting to care for the environment, and this is one area to which we can all contribute. Can you get your company to recycle paper? To use less electricity or water? To save on fuel or other resources? To start buying more environmentally friendly products? Make yourself heard, start a campaign, enlist support. Go green! Whats really cool is that companies are learning that being environmentally friendly actually makes them MORE money. Interface, the worlds largest manufacturer of carpets, designed and manufactured a new kind of carpet that was environmentally friendly, and while the design and production of this new product was more expensive than their regular line, it instantly became a bestseller and has made the company a fortune. Ray Anderson, the CEO of Interface, had a rude awakening about the way his company had been polluting, saying: It dawned on me that they way I?d been running Interface is the way of the plunderer. Plundering something that is not mine, something that belongs to every creature on earth. So I said to myself ?My goodness, some day people like me will end up in jail.? Another great example is Patagonia who make outdoor wear and mountain climbing gear, donate 1% of their revenue or 10% of their profits, whichever is greater, to environmental causes chosen by their employees. But aside from financial gains, I believe that being environmentally focused has one other huge benefit for companies today: It makes employees happy. Here are five reasons why. 5: It gives us a sense of pride Knowing that your work made a group of already wealthy investors a little richer may not be a huge source of personal pride, but knowing that your work made the world a little cleaner, or the environment a little safer or helped reduce C02 emissions can be. Working for a company that has not only a positive bottom line but also a positive impact on the world feels good and makes us happy at work. 4: It creates a stronger bond with the company Having that sense of pride means we can more easily identify with the company and feel like we belong there. This also contributes to happiness at work. 3: Employees can take action Corporate environmental initiatives always work best when employees can involve themselves directly. Patagonia for instance, lets employees take time off work to work on environmental projects, and taking action for something you believe in, makes you happy. 2: We make a positive difference It also lets us make a difference. If employees can get involved where they are and contribute to the environment through their ideas, energy, knowledge, skills or passion, they can contribute actively to a worthy cause. 1: Its the right thing to do It is just not right for companies to consume more natural resources than strictly necessary. It is not right to pollute, when there are other non-toxic ways to produce. Working for an organization that gets this, and chooses to do the right thing, rather than the easy thing, makes us happy at work. So companies that take the environment seriously can not only make more money, they can also make their employees happy at work and reap all the benefits that happy workplaces experience, like increased innovation, better customer service and higher profits! So try it out in your workplace: What could YOU do for the environment? This post is part of the Blog Action Day Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related