How to Overcome Age-Based Excuses

How to Overcome Age-Based ExcusesHow to Overcome Age-Based ExcusesFocus on the future - not the past - to overcome the age-based excuses mature job seekers often tell themselves.Mature job seekers still face challenges that do not usually concern younger job seekers. So what can executives do to turn age into an asset instead of a liability? Well, putting your focus on the future, and off the past, is the first step.Here are some of the issues that Ive heard in my years coaching and some suggestions on how to overcome these common age-based excuses job seekers tell themselvesI have an MBA - from 1989.Never stop pursuing knowledge, continued education and professional development. Without some current educational accomplishments, that degree you got 20 years ago and $1.00 will get you nothing more than a cup of coffee. The changes in business paradigms, technologies and strategies are evolving at warp speed. Go back to school. Take educational seminars. Do independent research. Par ticipate in industry training programs. Do whatever it takes to stay up to date in your profession. Demonstrate that knowledge through a detailed presentation in your resume or portfolio.They wont pay me what Im worth.This is a touchy issue that creates enormous controversy. I wish I had a buck for every time an older executive said to me They wont hire me because of my age and compensation level. They wont pay me what I am worth. Instead of a sign of age discrimination, this may be a signal that its time to freshen your bona fides. While the executive may have earned significant income in past years, if his experience and education are out of date, and if the market demand has changed, then he must adapt or lose out to other candidates. Keep up-to-date with tactics to overcome the seniority sticking point.Ive been in the business for 25 years and won awards for the turnarounds Ive had a hand in.Many believe that because they did great things in the past, they should continue to be rewarded for those accomplishments now and in the future. Reality check It doesnt work that way. You cannot rest on your laurels. When seeking a position, do not focus on the past. Rather, create an extraordinary value proposition for what you can do for a company now. Communicate your vision on emerging trends, opportunities and challenges. Show you can be the solution to a companys problems.Industy events are too draining on my time.You should be active in industry associations, trade shows and symposiums. Notice I said active. Simply being a member in name does absolutely nothing for you. Literally as I was writing this article, I got a call from a prospective client. I mentioned I was speaking at an association meeting in his industry. His comment was, I stopped going to those when I was a young man because they were too draining on my time. Guaranteed, he will face age discrimination. Another way to demonstrate you are contemporary is to give industry presentations. The present ation does not have to be on a nationwide level. It could be to your local association chapter. Getting published is also a winner. An article published online or in a local association newsletter can demonstrate you are active and current within your industry. You go from being an expert to being an authority, and you will be sought out. Reference these presentations and activities in your resume, and your age will no longer be a factor.Im familiar with Outlook and the Internet.The explosion of computer technology and the Internet is parte of our life. It is not enough just to be familiar with the programs that meet your day-to-day needs. Rather, show that you are state-of-the-art through your knowledge and application of new technologies and methodologies. Not sure where to start? Heres a guide to social-networking and job-search etiquette online.I have to tell you this story. I recently spoke with a self-described HR guru and change agent. In our discussion, I asked for his Linke dIn address and told him I would send him an invite. He indicated he was not on any social networking sites and thought they were nothing more than a waste of time. I almost had a heart attack. I advised him how social-networking sites are an awesome resource for recruiting talent, networking with colleagues, participating in industry groups, researching trends, consulting with experts and so on. He was dumbfounded and just didnt get it. Guaranteed he will face age discrimination. Some contemporary companies even have executives responsible for encouraging employees to be actively involved in social networking to build brand loyalty and create a contemporary corporate culture. Get connected, or you will be disconnected.Im modern and informed on trends.Be contemporary. Too many mature professionals stick with old habits. If you are not contemporary in your appearance, you will be perceived as not being contemporary in your ideas or knowledge. Get rid of the horn-rimmed glasses ties t hat are too narrow too wide or out-of-style and suits, shirts or blouses that dont fit and are worn and frayed. If you look sharp, you will make a positive, energetic impression in the interview.Youre probably looking for someone younger, but I know I can do the job.Nothing beats enthusiasm. Dont talk about your grandchildren. Talk about mountaineering, or the marathon you ran, or the tennis tournament you entered, or the college courses you are taking, or the article you just wrote for your industry trade journal. Avoid age issues. For example, dont make the following statementsIm looking for one more challenge before I retire.Back when I was your ageIm 57 years old, but a young 57.Rather than bringing up age issues, you should focus on the needs of the organization and how you can produce results. Further, if an organization discriminates based on age, it will likely discriminate for a multitude of other reasons. You do not want to go to work for that kind of organization.The job seeker who can demonstrate state-of-the-art expertise with energy, enthusiasm and a zest for living will have many, many years of a productive career. Age discrimination should not be a factor.

4 steps for choosing a new career

4 steps for choosing a new career4 steps for choosing a new careerEveryone deserves career satisfaction, so if your current ort isnt cutting the mustard, it might be time to explore choosing a new career. (Hint If the prospect of changing careers makes you feel more excited than overwhelmed, the time is probably right.)Here are four steps to follow for choosing a new career1. Examine whats behind the desireBefore making a major overhaul, reflect on why you want a different career. Is it possible that you still really like your industry but the position itself is problematic? If so,changing jobs- not careers- might be your answer. Perhaps what you actually want is to escape a toxic workplace, earn what you feel youre worth, or find a company that offers flexible arrangements.If you discover that the field itself no longer feels like a good match, try to figure out why. Is the work boring? Does it no longer align with your values? Are you under too much stress? Answers to these questio ns may prove helpful as you move forward.2. BrainstormWithout judgment, write down any careers you find interesting. Even if some of the possibilities end up not being attractive in reality (med school, at my age?), an unfiltered list that comes from the heart can be revealing. Perhaps youll discover most of the jobs involve helping people, or maybe working outdoors is a common theme. This insight, combined with your skills and background, can pinpoint areas to explore.Got a possibilities page thats almost blank? Try thinking about activities that make you really happy- the kind that you could lose yourself in. Remembering what you enjoyed most as a child can work too. That passion for literature could indicate success as a librarian, reading teacher, writer, bookstore employee, or publisher. For further assistance, looking intoonline career assessmentsor hiring a career coach may be smart moves.3. ResearchNow start turning general ideas into possible realities by gaining as much in formation as you can about potential careers. Find out about daily responsibilities, salary, educational requirements, and employment projections. The U.S. Department of LaborsOccupational Outlook Handbookcan be a good starting point for such research.But dont limit your investigation to the www. Try to find real people holding the career of interest, and talk to them about what exactly they do. If possible, arrange to shadow them in order to observe firsthand. Alumni associations, industry organizations, and your network connections are all good places to turn to for introductions.4. Put it all togetherArmed with everything youve learned from the previous steps, start evaluating where things stand. Put your career considerations to the test by seeing how each one measures up to questions such asDo I have the education/background needed for this career? If not, am I willing to invest the time and money to obtain it?Does this career offer theflexible arrangementsthat I want or need?A m I willing to relocate if necessary?Are the salary prospects for this career suitable to me?What does my gut say about this career?Without a doubt, changing careers can be difficult and may require going back to the drawing board multiple times. But even tougher can be staying in an unsuitable situation. Invest energy into finding the move thats right for youBeth Braccio Hering has been a freelance writer for 20 years.In addition to extensive contributions to various Encyclopaedia Britannica products, her work has been published by outlets such as CareerBuilder, Johnson Johnsons BabyCenter, Walt Disney Internet Group, andChicken Soup for the Soul. Hering graduated from Northwestern University with honors in sociology.This column was originally published on FlexJobs.com.

Waiver Agreement FAQ - Ireland

Waiver Agreement FAQ - Ireland Release/Waiver Agreement FAQ - Ireland DefinitionsWhat is a release agreement?A release agreement is an enforceable promise not to proceed with a legal claim in exchange for money or other compensation. Essentially, a party (the releasee) gives money or other consideration to a second party (the releasor). In exchange, the releasor agrees not to sue, press charges, or otherwise take legal action against the releasee. Who is the releasor?The releasor is the party who is releasing a possible claim in exchange for something of value. Who is the releasee?The releasee is the party who is being released from a claim or possible claim. What is consideration?Consideration is the compensation that the Releasor receives in exchange for releasing the claim. What can be offered as consideration?Commonly, money is offered as consideration. However, other goods and services can be offered as consideration as well. For example, Party A could agree to release a claim against Party B in exchange for a motor vehicle, or even a used lawnmower. Usually, as long as both parties agree to the consideration and the consideration is something of value, the consideration will be acceptable. However, if the consideration is later found to be less than expected, defective or damaged, or performance was made improperly (e.g. where consideration is a service), courts may find there to be failure of consideration and the contract may be held unenforceable. Who is the activity provider?The activity provider is the person or company that will be providing the participant with access to the activity in question. The activity provider can be an individual or a company. For example, if Bob Smith was a tour guide who represented himself and provided mountain tours, the activity provider would be Bob Smith. However, if Bob Smith was an employee of and was representing the Nature Walk Touring Company, the activity provider would be Nature Walk Touring Company. Activity Waiver and ReleaseWhat is an activity waiver and release?The activity waiver and release is an agreement between two parties that releases the party providing an activity from liability claims from the individual wishing to participate in the activity. The participant is required to give up all future claims against the other party, so care should be taken to ensure that the participant is fully aware of his or her rights. Who can use the activity waiver and release?The activity waiver and release can be used by any business or individual that allows others to participate in activities that are potentially dangerous. For example, an amusement park might require visitors to sign an activity waiver and release before boarding a ride, or a paintball course might require customers to sign a waiver before competing in any paintball activities. Of course, these are just a few examples. The activity waiver and release can be used as all of the following and more: A biking waiver A boating, rafting, or kayaking waiver A bungee jump waiver A camping waiver A hiking waiver A hunting waiver A snowmobile, quad or dirt bike waiver A sports waiver A swimming waiver or swimming pool waiver A trampoline waiver A zoo waiver or petting zoo waiver Will courts always enforce an activity waiver and release?Generally courts will respect the waiver agreement reached between the parties however in some circumstances a court may be unwilling to enforce a waiver agreement. This is especially the case in situations where they find: the agreement conflicts with public policy (i.e. parties performing essential services to the public are expected to fulfil their obligations to the public and cannot waive liability by using a release) the releasee's conduct amounts to gross negligence (i.e. the releasee cannot waive liability for conduct that rises to the level of gross negligence) the release contains ambiguous language (i.e. the document does not clearly and explicitly communicate the intention of terminating the releasees liability) the releasor is not aware of the release and cannot reasonably be expected to be aware of it (i.e. the waiver clause in the document appears in such a way that it is unlikely to be read by the releasor) the releasor lacks the capacity to contract away his or her-or another person's-claims (i.e. if the releasor is a minor or the releasor is lacking the mental capacity needed to sign the document) In such circumstances, courts may interpret activity waiver and release agreements strictly against the party that benefits from the release. Accordingly, it is essential that the releasing party is fully aware of the rights being waived. Damage to Personal Property ReleaseWhat is a damage to personal property release?The damage to personal property release is a general release tailored for the possible civil claims following damage to the releasing party's property. The releasing party is required to give up all known and unknown claims against the other party, so care should be taken to ensure that the releasing party is fully aware of his, her, or its rights. What is personal property?For the purposes of this release agreement, personal property refers to anything that you own. Shoes, jewelry, vehicles, televisions, and houses are all examples of personal property. When would I use a damage to personal property release?A damage to personal property release is used after damage has occurred to someones personal property. The person who caused the damage (the releasee) agrees to compensate the person whose property was damaged (the releasor), and the two parties sign the damage to personal property release when they reach an agreement. Does the compensation offered have to match the value of the damaged property?No, the compensation offered in a damage to personal property release does not have to match the value of the damaged property. For example, if your friend accidentally broke your television, you might choose to give your friend a break and accept monetary compensation that is less than the cost of the television. At the same time, your friend might feel terrible about breaking your television and offer you more money than the TV is worth as a way of apologizing. Usually, the compensation can be worth any amount, so long as both parties agree to it. Can I use a damage to personal property release for damage that occurred to my vehicle, or should I use a motor vehicle accident release?If damage has occurred to the vehicle as a result of a collision with another vehicle, you should use the motor vehicle accident release. This is the case even if you werent in your vehicle at the time of the collision. For example, if your vehicle is parked on the street in front of your house and somebody collides with it, you would use a motor vehicle accident release. However, if the damage to the vehicle is not caused by another vehicle, you should use a damage to personal property release. For example, if your neighbor chopped down a tree and it fell on your vehicle, you should use the damage to personal property release, as the damage was not caused by a motor vehicle accident. Debt-Accord and Satisfaction ReleaseWhat is a debt-accord and satisfaction release?A debt-accord and satisfaction release is an agreement to accept less than is legally due in order to reach a settlement. The releasing party agrees to release any claims they have to the debt in exchange for agreed upon compensation. Please note that this document should only be used when there is a genuine dispute over the actual amount of the debt, such as disputes over the value of services provided. When should you use a debt-accord and satisfaction release?A debt-accord and satisfaction release can be used in any number of situations where there is a dispute over the amount of money owed. For example, lets say that the ABCD Lawn Company did some landscaping work for Bob Smith. The ABDC Lawn Company gives an initial estimate of 500. However, the final bill comes to 1,000 and Bob Smith is not impressed with the work of the ABCD Lawn Company. He refuses to pay 1,000. In order to settle the debt, the ABCD Lawn Company creates a debt-accord and satisfaction release where the parties agree that Bob Smith will pay the ABCD Lawn Company 500. Debt-Partial Repayment ReleaseWhat is a debt-partial repayment release?A debt-partial repayment release is a general release tailored for use as a debt settlement between two parties. The releasing party agrees to accept less than they are legally due as a trade-off for reaching a final settlement. Please note that this document would normally be used for disputes resulting from the sale of a good. General Release of ClaimsWhat is a general release of claims?A general release is a broad release from all possible civil claims resulting from a dispute. Since the releasing party is giving up all known and unknown claims against the other party, care should be taken to ensure that the releasing party is fully aware of his, her, or its rights. The general release can be tailored for many different situations. Motor Vehicle Accident ReleaseWhat is a motor vehicle accident release?A motor vehicle accident release is a general release tailored for the possible civil claims resulting from a motor vehicle accident. The releasing party is required to give up all known and unknown claims against the other party so care should be taken to ensure that the releasing party is fully aware of his, her, or its rights. Mutual ReleaseWhat is a mutual release?A mutual release is a general release tailored for use when each party claims that the other party is to blame for the injuries or damages that they have suffered. Since each party is giving up all known and unknown claims against the other party, care should be taken to ensure that the parties are fully aware of their rights. Normally, each party simply releases the other party from future liability. However, if one party is more at fault, that party can be asked to give extra consideration (compensation). Can one of the parties receive compensation with a mutual release?Yes. One of the parties can receive compensation with a mutual release. If you wish for one of the parties to receive compensation through the mutual release, that party should be listed as the First Releasor. For example, if Susan and Peter are backing out of parking stalls at the same time and collide with each other, they are both at fault and they may want to sign a Mutual Release. If Peters vehicle sustained no damage and Susans vehicle sustained 100 worth of damage, the parties might agree to split the cost of Susans repairs. In that case, the parties would sign a Mutual Release Agreement stating that Peter will offer 50 in compensation to Susan. Can both of the parties receive compensation with the mutual release?No. LawDepots automated mutual release only allows for one of the parties to receive compensation. Personal Injury ReleaseWhat is a personal injury release?A personal injury release is a general release tailored for the possible civil claims resulting from an incident causing an injury to the releasing party. The releasing party is required to give up all known and unknown claims against the other party, so care should be taken to ensure that the releasing party is fully aware of his or her rights. What is a personal injury?A personal injury is an injury caused to one's body, mind or emotions as the result of an accident. The injury can be physical or psychological.

Turning yourself from a professional into a brand

Turning yourself from a professional into a brand Turning yourself from a professional into a brand You’ve been scrolling through your Facebook, only to find an old pal from Facebook has found success as a life coach. Or perhaps a journalist. Maybe they’re an entrepreneur who speaks at TED conferences. You might wonder how they turned themselves from a regular ol’ employee to a full-blown personality and brand. While this move isn’t for everyone, as more and more professionals reimagine what it means to be successful, the benefits of a solo reputation as an expert or authority becomes more common - and well, appealing.As creative entrepreneur and career expert Kylie Carson says, like it or not, working in the digital era challenges everyone to create a personal brand - even if it is merely through Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn. The more you make yourself stand out from the pack, the higher chance you have at exceeding beyond those at your same level.“In a world where we are all fighting to be seen and heard, a personal brand helps you to stand out head and shoulders o ver your competition. It doesn’t matter whether you are looking to take your career to the next level or start a business, personal branding can help,” she continues. “Turning yourself from just a resume into a brand that has personality and a voice will help you to get noticed.”Here’s how to shine that spotlight:Start with your whyCarson says one of the most effective ways to transform yourself from a professional to a brand is by positioning yourself as an expert in your industry. The only issue, is well, that doesn’t happen overnight. Those who are able to lead their knowledge base do it by proving themselves to thought-leaders continuously over time - and perhaps more importantly, they stay true to their mission. That’s why career expert and entrepreneur Christopher Kingman stresses the importance of taking a page out of Simon Sinek’s sound advice, and defining your ‘why.’“Stating what you are isn’t as important as why you do it. Being an attorney is gre at- but an attorney who does what they do to keep their own community safe? That’s a differentiator people can get behind,” he explains.To determine your core principles, Kingman says to begin by answering ‘Why do you do what you do?’ This might mean exploring what motivates you, what makes you want to get up in the morning, what pushes you to do better and to give more - and beyond.He says if you can answer these questions, keep going: “If you can figure it out: ask yourself some questions. Like, ‘how did I get to where I am now?’, ‘What are my passions?’, and ‘What about doing my job, that makes me or others happy?’. This exercise isn’t quick, and the more time you spend, the better the message will be so don’t rush through it,” he shares.Express what makes you differentWhen you think of ‘sales experts’ or ‘marketing pros’- you can probably rattle a few dozen off the top of your head. As personal branding continues to become trendy, Kingman say s to be successful, a professional should figure out what makes them different from every other LinkedIn profile out there. He says it doesn’t have to be anything extremely specific - like a designation, degree or certification - but rather, access you have or soft skills or experience you possess that others do not.“How has that made you the professional you are today? Have you worked on hard, or high profile projects? Won important trials, been exposed to many industries? Whatever it is, add that to what makes you unique,” he continues. “The end result is what can be called a value proposition or a personal branding message. It’s a short description, like above, that tells people, who you are, what you do, why it matters, and why they should choose you.”Define your customerRemember in elementary school when your teacher made you answer the who, the what, the where, the why and the how? You can apply this same approach to the next step in your branding - now that you know who you are and what you do, now you have to figure out how to market it to the masses. Or a niche market. Or an employer. Or whatever your goal might be. Kingman says before you make the website, hire a logo designer and picked your color scheme, you need to know who you’re pitching yourself to.“Identifying your target audience and customer is an easy way to make sure you aren’t being too broad or too narrow. Having a target buyer or customer in mind will help you tailor your value prop, your message to capture exactly who will benefit the most from working with you,” he explains. “Once you tailor your message it will resonate much deeper with those you are trying to reach, or more importantly, those who are trying to reach you.”Make a website - and get goingNow that you’ve completed your research- and soul searching- it is time to build your online presence. Carson suggests starting with a portfolio that illustrates your experience, your current projects, your availability and most importantly, your brand message that you just defined. Here is where examples become important.“If you’ve worked on a client brief of any description and been involved in the process, then you can write a case study that shows the problem the customer had and how you were involved in providing the solution. All of this helps to cement you as an expert in your field,” she stresses.Not sure about web design, or don’t know where to get started? Hiring an agency or even a solo person is an investment in your long-term career. And hey, some designers even cater to specific groups, like DevelopHER Designs, a full-service web company that specializes in female entrepreneurs and executives.Now what? Start posting: blogs, social media, anything and everything to professionally make your message heard, loud and clear.“Everything you post is a reflection on who you are and what you stand for, so make it count. Think about what you’re posting before you post i t and start to think about how you can use each platform to position yourself as an expert and allow your professional persona to stand out to potential employers,” Carson adds.

I just want to say how much I appreciate the work youre doing

I just want to say how much I appreciate the work you’re doing I just want to say how much I appreciate the work you’re doing Sharing your gratitude for the people around you is a great way to help yourself, your career, your community, and your state of mind.At the end of this newsletter, I’m going to ask you to send a quick 3-sentence thank you to somebody, right now, to share how much you appreciating something they accomplished.It’s just a simple thing:“Jerry â€" just wanted to let you know that I’ve been through the terrific work you’ve been doing on Terrapin Station. I’m glad we didn’t listen when the other side said it was time for the train to “put its brakes on” - everything has turned out wonderfully . I’m looking forward to working with you next month on the Delilah Jones account.”Showing gratitude is good for you.When you focus more on the good in the world around you, it actually puts you in a better mood, and a better frame of mind. Rather than dwelling on the errors, mistakes, and missteps of your co-workers, focusing on their successes, and rewarding and encouraging th em for their triumphs - however small - actually makes you feel better. And that’s because it actually makes you better - with each “thank you” you become a more gracious, supportive, collaborative person.Showing gratitude now  is much more effective than networking later.Too often, busy professionals wait until it is too late to build strong and effective relationships with peers and professional contacts. The worst time to reach out to someone after a long pause is when you need a favor. The best time is… today. And if you can share something appreciative, it will make all the difference.Showing gratitude makes you more effective.People want their work to be rewarded. Yes, in cash and equity, but far more importantly, in thanks and appreciation. When the people around you know that you are the type of person who will reward them in this most important currency of the realm, they’ll want to work with you and want to be on the receiving end of those little bits of glory .Entice them with your kindnesses.So please take a moment right now, think of somebody, something, or someone that impressed you in the past 24 hours, and send them a note to tell them what a great job you think they’re doing.It’s a great, and rewarding, way to start everybody’s week…I’m rooting for you! I just want to say how much I appreciate the work you’re doing Sharing your gratitude for the people around you is a great way to help yourself, your career, your community, and your state of mind.At the end of this newsletter, I’m going to ask you to send a quick 3-sentence thank you to somebody, right now, to share how much you appreciating something they accomplished.It’s just a simple thing:“Jerry â€" just wanted to let you know that I’ve been through the terrific work you’ve been doing on Terrapin Station. I’m glad we didn’t listen when the other side said it was time for the train to “put its brakes on” - everything has turned out wonderfully . I’m looking forward to working with you next month on the Delilah Jones account.”Showing gratitude is good for you.When you focus more on the good in the world around you, it actually puts you in a better mood, and a better frame of mind. Rather than dwelling on the errors, mistakes, and missteps of your co-workers, focusing on their successes, and rewarding and encouraging th em for their triumphs - however small - actually makes you feel better. And that’s because it actually makes you better - with each “thank you” you become a more gracious, supportive, collaborative person.Showing gratitude now is much more effective than networking later.Too often, busy professionals wait until it is too late to build strong and effective relationships with peers and professional contacts. The worst time to reach out to someone after a long pause is when you need a favor. The best time is… today. And if you can share something appreciative, it will make all the difference.Showing gratitude makes you more effective.People want their work to be rewarded. Yes, in cash and equity, but far more importantly, in thanks and appreciation. When the people around you know that you are the type of person who will reward them in this most important currency of the realm, they’ll want to work with you and want to be on the receiving end of those little bits of glory. Entice them with your kindnesses.So please take a moment right now, think of somebody, something, or someone that impressed you in the past 24 hours, and send them a note to tell them what a great job you think they’re doing.It’s a great, and rewarding, way to start everybody’s week…

LinkedIn Skills and Endorsements

LinkedIn Skills and Endorsements LinkedIn Skills and Endorsements LinkedIn has always billed itself as a professional networking site. One very basic function of this is the fact that our peers, managers, and reports get to make statements about our expertise. Now, there are several kinds of statements other people can make. The most obvious type is a recommendation. But another often misunderstood type of statement is the endorsement your connections can make of skills you possess. LinkedIn Endorsements On the face of it, the endorsement is a fairly straightforward concept: A LinkedIn member lists several skills on his or her profile;That member’s connections will be presented with the option to endorse him or her for one or more of those skills;Each endorsement is tallied until 99 are achieved. But as the saying goes, the devil is in the details. There are several ways in which a job seeker can make optimal use of skills and endorsements on LinkedIn. Knowing the difference between which of them are genuinely useful versus busywork is the key, and as finding a job is a full-time job, a job seeker can ill-afford wasted time. Skill Selection In your search, you are no doubt targeting several job titles, or perhaps just one. But do you know all of the skills possessed by other top candidates for this work? Sure, you know the basic skills, but what about the “nice to have” ones that will put you over the top? Moreover: if you don’t have them all, how do you fix that? If you do know those other skills, find a volunteer opportunity that will let you add or maintain that skill. But if you don’t, your next step is easy: do a search on LinkedIn for that position, just as a recruiter might. Go to Advanced Search and plug in your target job title into Title and select Current from the drop-down. The top candidates for any position are those who are doing it right now, and any recruiter will tell you, look at the results. Look at the skills you see listed in the top results. Do you see any common themes among skills possessed by those LinkedIn members that are not on your list? LinkedIn Endorsements Over ten billion endorsements have been given by LinkedIn users ever since the feature was introduced. That number was reached because practically every time you look at a connection’s profile, LinkedIn asks if you’d like to endorse him or her for as many as four different skills. But you have probably noticed that LinkedIn has no way of knowing whether or not you ever witnessed your connection making use of any given listed skill: it simply asks if you’d like to endorse the skill and the person. There is no check and balance, no sanity checking: just a simple yes/no question. For this reason, Endorsements are invariably best read with a shaker of salt. Every single LinkedIn user has found him or her self on the receiving end of an endorsement for a skill that the endorser never witnessed. Fortunately, LinkedIn has provided the tools to remove irrelevant or incorrect Endorsements. Just go to Profile|Edit Profile and once you’ve scrolled to the skill section, select either Add Remove or Manage Endorsements and take the desired action. Pruning At some point, if it has not already happened, a well-meaning connection will inevitably add a skill to your list. Give the subject some thought: is it a skill for which you should be endorsed by that person, and is it consistent with how you are presenting yourself concerning industry, job function and seniority? If yes, accept it and move on. But if not, go to your profile and remove it. And do that soon: others in your network will see a new skill and might think it would be helpful to endorse it, without any clear understanding of whether it’s consistent with how you want to position yourself. So yes, get out those garden shears and prune periodically. In Closing There are a variety of ways that people in your network can be helpful to you, or that you can be helpful to someone in your network when it comes to how you present yourself. Since people have made over a billion endorsements already in the first two years of the feature, this isn’t a step you can afford to neglect.

10 ways to reward your staff without giving a raise

10 ways to reward your staff without giving a raise 10 ways to reward your staff without giving a raise If you have an employee who is doing a sterling job and you’d like to thank them in some way, but are lacking the resources to offer a pay raise, then worry not as there are many other ways you can reward them. Yes â€" many of us would probably prefer money, but for many companies this just isn’t feasible. We teamed up with the experts over at  Veritas Gift who have come up with 10 ways you can reward your staff without offering a raise.1. A vacation dayOne good way to thank your staff for doing a great job is to offer one or two days holiday on top of their current holiday allowance, this allows them to book longer holidays, or for them to have the flexibility to take a break and do something they love whether that be lazing at home or enjoying a day out.2. VouchersVouchers are quite a popular way for employers to reward their staff, why not figure out what they love to do and get them something along those lines, whether it’s a Spa day or a supercar experience, they are bound to be over the moon.3. Give them a new improved job titleFor many people it’s not just about the money, it’s also about the promotion, or progression with many employees simply looking to work their way up,  and a great way to allow them to do this is to give them a better job title, for example if someone’s an Account Executive, why not promote them to Senior Account Executive.4. TrainingOffering an employee some training courses out of work is a great alternative to a pay rise, as you are essentially helping them progress at a much faster speed. It will also help retain staff moral and keep them loyal to the company.5. Take them outSometimes a good old fashioned knees up is a great way to show your thanks, whether it be out to restaurant, a bar or something more extravagant, it shows them you care and you want to spend time with them.6. Award themAnother alternative to a raise is to award them and to make it known to everyone in the office, for example why not set up a com pany awards night, or take your team out and make a speech with the person in mind, this way they will love the feeling of accomplishment it has with it.7. Write a letter of thanksA personalized letter is also a great way to thank somebody as it is much more personal, especially it’s handwritten. Why not explain your thanks and send it to their home address, this way it comes across as much more personal than just putting it on their work desk.8. Upgrade the desk spaceOffering your employee a better desk space is something that can easily be done and shows that you believe they are ready to move up. If you can’t give them their own office, why not move them to an area with more space and perhaps better equipment.9. Ask them how they would like to be recognizedIf you’re unsure on how to show your employee that they are valued, you could always ask what they would like instead of a raise, as it may be that they would like more flexi time, a gym membership, or a longer lunch brea k which are things that you are able to offer.10. Provide them with one on one mentoringIf they look up to you chances are they will really value what you have to say on the industry you both work in. Perhaps you could arrange some one on one training sessions where you can enlighten them on how you got to where you are today, and to just generally offer some personal mentorship.Charlotte Giver is the founder and editor-in-chief at Your Coffee Break. With a background in PR working in Los Angeles and Barcelona, Charlotte has been working hard running YCB from the YCB headquarters in London’s Covent Garden for the past four years.This column was originally published on YourCoffeeBreak.co.