How to Create an Impressive E-mail Signature

How to Create an Impressive E-mail Signature Creating an e-mail signature may seem like an easy task, but when you sit down to actually get to it you find out that it can be rather confusing.   You may start adding so many things that you end up having a signature that could be even longer than some of your e-mails.   Having such a signature would be detrimental to your career as some people would rather not look at long e-mails, and that would have them not seeing the information you would want to provide, such as a sales quote or a partnership request. To help you avoid the above scenario, here are a few tips that you can use when creating an e-mail signature: 1. Keep it short: The acceptable number of lines for a signature is 4 lines.   You may do less, but do not do more.   Remember that you can use colons or pipes to separate text and indicate that the next set of words are a different idea or item already. 2. Use HD graphics: If you do decide to use a logo, do your best to find the best copy.   If it is to be scanned, go for the higher dpi and then just scale it down to size. This would make the logo look sharp and you would be able to avoid pixilation should that logo to blown up somewhere. 3. Contact information: A lot of people get confused in this area, so there would be a few sub tips under this: Do not add your actual mailing address unless absolutely necessary. In this day and age, not all people would go to your office for a face to face meeting. Your contact information would suffice. Do not place multiple phone numbers and e-mail addresses, as this could confuse people.   They would want to have the contact information that would get the fastest reply.   Choose the best way to contact you for each medium (if you have multiple e-mail addresses, get the one you monitor the most.   The same goes for phone numbers). Some people include their Skype and IM details in their signatures. That is fine only if you monitor those two methods of contact constantly, and you expect to get calls through them.   If not, then do not include them in your signature. 4. Web addresses: Avoid hyperlinks, as they would no longer work in some instances.   There are mobile devices that would not recognize them, and you would want these “clickable” by anyone.   Expand to the full URL as much as possible. 5. Formatting: Be careful when you use special formats, even HTML.   These do not translate properly on some devices.   You can stick with plain text (though most prefer not to).   If you do go for HTML, be sure to test out your signature on multiple e-mail clients.   What translates well on outlook would not necessarily look good for others. RELATED:  What Is the Best Resume Font, Size and  Format? 6. Quotes: you might want to attach an inspiring quote or one that helps you get through the day, but it would not be recommended.   Although you find the quote really positive, others may take offense for one reason or another.   To avoid that, just skip the inspiring message. RELATED:  The Best Career  Quotes  of All Time Do note that in the age of the Internet, lengthy does not necessarily translate into something positive.   With the number of mail that people send and receive daily, they would be really appreciative of concise messages.   The same would definitely go for the e-mail signature.   One glance and they would see all they need to see.   The experience would just get better when they find out that all the information they see on the signature, they can use.   So think things through, have the best signature and impress your clients and colleagues.

Why Jason Collins matters for your career

Why Jason Collins matters for your career Jason Collins is a professional basketball player who just announced that hes gay. Its rare enough for a professional athlete to be openly gay that President Obama called him up to offer support, and former President Clinton tweeted his support, adding that hes known Jason Collins since he was friends with Chelsea Clinton at Stanford. Collins is a 12-year NBA veteran who has played for the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards and chose to come out in  the new edition of  Sports Illustrated  . He says, Im a 34-year-old NBA center. Im black. And Im gay.  I didnt set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, Im happy to start the conversation. Its a great conversation to have, because we all do better in our careers if we are honest about who we are. The research about the benefits of coming out at work is solid. Gay people get higher pay and have more stable careers if they come out at work. Because so much of career success is connecting with people, and secretive people are not likable. This is one of the reasons that I was so upset when I was coaching Cassie Boorn and she didnt tell me she was gay: because the best career advice I could give anyone who is gay is to find a place for  themselves  in the workworld where they can be themselves. You would not believe how many people I coach who are gay but dont tell me until the last ten minutes of the call. It would be fine if being gay is irrelevant to their career, but it almost always comes up, in passing, because we have to talk about your personal life to build a career plan that supports your personal life. So if you are systematically hiding that youre gay, then it is highly probable that the core of your career problem is that youre hiding. Because people who hide something that big from the world are usually hiding lots of other things as well. And the more you hide, the harder it is to find a job thats right for you. The story of Jason Collins is not just a story about being gay. Its a story about how, to some degree, each and every one of us is scared to be ourself at work. Each of us has something we are scared to own about ourselves because we are scared people wont like us. Were scared the top people in our field wont respect or like us. We each hide something that we think is particularly bad. And we all think, Other people might not need to hide this, but for me, its different. But really, if theres anyone who could say they have a special situation, its Collins. Hes in a field where he has to touch other men all the time. Hes in a profession thats notoriously homophobic. And he is a national figure but hes not used to dealing with the press in a personal way, so talking about all this publicly is out of his comfort zone. I have been working in the tech industry for most of my career. As a serial entrepreneur Ive had to figure out, each time, how much of myself to reveal to my co-founders, to my investors, to my employees. At one point, during my last startup, I was crying in the lobby of Chase Bank  because we ran out of money and none of my employees would get paid and it was the week before Christmas. Earlier in my career, I never would have written about that, because its very hard to get funding when you are crying and weak and desperate for money. No one wants to fund that kind of entrepreneur. But I wrote about it anyway, on my blog, and literally hundreds of entrepreneurs told me they had been there before, and they offered great ideas for getting through such a tough time. And my investors came through as well. Because what investors need, more than anything, is a founder who is dedicated and driven and genuine and honest. Thats what the NBA needs from Collins: dedicated, driven, genuine, and honest. And thats what people need from you. Some of you are still thinking youre not going to really be who you are. You want to keep the parts of you that are fun and enchanting and easy, while making the other, worse parts of you go away. But the truth is that no one is enchanting if they are not whole. I realized, late in my career, that one of the biggest reasons that I looked scary to some people was that I was hiding some fundamental things about me: like that I was taken away from my parents for abuse. I wanted it to not matter. I wanted to be past that. But everything matters. Everything is our lives is who we are. Jason Collins being gay will matter so little in two years. Well be past the hoopla. And so will he. Itll just be a part of who he is. Heres how I know: I was coaching a guy. And we were talking about how he and his wife were going to move to the East coast, and he needed a career transition strategy. At the end of the call, he told me, Hey, I have something to tell you. I said, At the end of the call? You have something new to tell me now? He said, Yeah. Well, I read how you said that so many people wait until the end of the call to tell you theyre gay. Oh no. Youre gay? Youre going to tell me youre gay? No. Im not gay. Im a transexual. Silence. I was shocked. Then I said, Are you done? Like, is it that you were born a woman and now youre a man? Yeah. I went through all the operations and everything. No one would guess Im a transexual. I just wanted to tell you. And we both laughed. Because its a funny riff on the constant problem of people being closeted and not telling me. But thats all it is funny. Because hes fine with who he is, and hes integrated his whole self into his life, and so its not possible for it to be a problem for his career. I wish that peace for Jason Collins and I wish it for all of us. Lets start today, being a little more honest about who we are. And bonus: Well make more money doing that. Really.

How to Translate What You Do Into Whats In It For Others - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How to Translate What You Do Into What’s In It For Others - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Ever feel like you’re speaking a completely different language when you’re relaying your branding message or elevator pitch to others? Even when you deliver it coherently without stumbling over your words, something seems to be lost in the translation because people just aren’t “getting it?” What’s often lost in the translation, what others aren’t understanding is, “What’s in this for me?” Whats in it for me? Defining your brand and differentiating yourself are important, but at the end of the day, people won’t buy from you or hire you unless they understand how they will benefit. And while you can make the translation easily and automatically in your own head because you’re so familiar with your work, it’s a shift that’s not so easy to make for someone hearing it for the first time (or even the second or the third). So no matter how enthusiastically and cleverly you are broadcasting, “Here’s who I am and what I do, shouldn’t everyone want this?” potential clients, hiring managers, and networking contacts are waiting to hear, “How can this help me or someone I know?” Speed up the understanding How do you relay your brand message so that others see the value more clearly? Here are four ideas that can speed the absorption of your message: Focus less on what you do and more on what your target market gets. How specifically will their life or business change once you’re in the picture? Will they make more money, decrease risk, save time or hassle? For example, don’t just say, “I’m a financial analyst” but instead say, “I help companies make more money with their investments.” Go into more detail using examples. Since a good percentage of the population is visual, sometimes telling a story can illustrate the benefit much more clearly. You can describe a problem that you faced and the result that was gained. For example, “The company was spending money in marketing that wasn’t bringing them any customers. I worked with them to invest in programs that brought in new customers and eventually tripled their revenues. Tie it into their specific situation. You can make a stronger impact with your message by linking it to a pain or problem the other person is already familiar with. Before you answer the “What do you do question” say, “Well, there are a number of ways I help depending on the situation, so I’ll give you an example. What industry are you in?” Then go right into a story or even an analogy they’re more likely to relate to. Make more information readily available. When you have a great connection with someone at a networking event or even across the Twitterverse, being able to refer them to your blog with articles you’ve written and case studies that describe some of your work can help them solidify their understanding over time and at their own pace. This takes the pressure off of that initial interaction to keep talking about what you do until they get it, giving you more time to focus on getting to know them better and building a rapport which is so much more important. It’s not enough to be passionate about your personal brand. You have to get others to be passionate about it too. Supplement your tag line, branding message, and elevator pitch with elements that touch people closer to home and your transmission will be more readily received. Author: Liz Lynch is founder of the  Center for Networking Excellence and  author of Smart Networking: Attract a Following In Person and Online (McGraw-Hill, 2008).  She writes, speaks and consults to experienced professionals on  how to seamlessly integrate social media and traditional networking to save time and accelerate results.

Avoid Desk Job Weight Gain - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Avoid Desk Job Weight Gain - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career As technology takes an ever increasing role in work, so does the amount of time workers sit. Long periods of sitting can not only lead to weight gain, but also health risks.  The increase in sedentary jobs has accelerated the obesity rate, which in turn increases ones risk of diabetes, hypertension and more. This can lead to an increase in  health care costs and days lost to illness. However, there are actions you can take to ward off desk job weight gain and corresponding health risks. 1) Move every 60 to 90 minutes. There are online countdown timers you can set to go off as a reminder to get up and move. Movement can vary from a few minutes of stretching or yoga, taking a short walk around your office building or going up and down a flight of stairs. 2) Take advantage of other options to move more. Park your car away from your destination and walk to your office. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Pack your lunch and walk to a local park or other location to eat. 3) Drink fewer calories. Research shows caffeine from soda, coffee and tea can offer a pick-me-up when energy is draining, but avoid fancy drinks with lots of calories and sugar. Whenever possible drink water. If you want the fizz of soda, drink seltzer water. 4) Pack your lunch. Buying lunch from restaurants or vending machines speeds up weight gain in a sedentary life. These meals are usually packed with fats, processed ingredients and sugars. Instead, bring healthy lunches that have lean protein, healthy carbs, and fruits and veggies. Not only will you save on calories, but you’ll be giving your body nutrients it needs and saving money. 5) Avoid the vending machine and unhealthy snacks. Bring nuts or fruit instead of grabbing a candy bar or chips. 6) Dump technology whenever possible. Do you text or email people in the next cubicle or office? Instead, get up and see them in person. 6) Stand while you work. Many offices now offer adjustable desks that allow you stand instead of sit. Poor work habits not only impact personal health, but business health as well.  However, a few tweaks at work can help you avoid desk job weight gain and health issues.

How to Describe Writing Skills on Resume

How to Describe Writing Skills on ResumeWriting skills can be one of the most important parts when writing a resume. They play a major role in a person's job and will help in getting better employment opportunities. One should therefore be able to use proper terms and adjectives in their resume that describes what they are good at.Skills - Writing skills are one of the major factors when employers will be able to assess what an individual is good at. Before they hire a person, they will always try to find out what they are good at. When they are looking for someone who has great writing skills, they are more likely to hire that person over someone who doesn't have much experience in writing.Knowledge - It is the ability to write because the writer knows what to write about. It is like teaching a person what to write. If you know how to teach people, you are the one who has the right skills. This is why your writing skills should be well described and should not be vague.Attitude - At titude is one of the most important elements when it comes to describing writing skills. Some writers may be talented and can put together some great sentences but this does not mean that the writer has a good attitude. Those who have more skills may be more apt to have a positive attitude. The difference will be in the writing skills.Experience - This is another part of writing that a person must have. Experience when it comes to writing is what people use to put in their resumes. They should describe in details what they have done. That is why they have to include how long they have been doing it, what topics they have covered, and how many clients they have with that experience.Some people do realize that the resume writer also has to describe what writing skills they have. If you haven't taken up the writing profession yet, do mention it in your resume because they are a great skill to have. Once you have written a few short stories, your skills can improve drastically.Use simpl e words - Most of the time, when people are asked how to describe writing skills on resume, they usually mention some pretty complicated words. They should not use too many words in the resume that would make it hard to read. They should also use simple words that the readers can easily understand.Using simple words on how to describe writing skills on resume will help in getting better employment opportunities. The more writers that get jobs, the more writing skills they will learn. As they grow in their writing skills, they will be able to easily and quickly deliver quality writing that people will be able to understand and use on their resume.

How to Manage Yourself When Youre Under Pressure

How to Manage Yourself When You’re Under Pressure Do you ever get really busy and feel under a lot of pressure? Maybe it’s deadline pressure, and then all of a sudden something unexpected gets thrown into the mix and you’re completely thrown off your stride. It can be overwhelming and upsetting. I know because this exact situation happened to me recently. Pressure, Deadlines & Unexpected Twists My team and I had a lot of deadlines coming up, but we still had everything under control. Then unexpectedly, I got an email saying that the economics of a particular project weren’t going to be as positive as we thought. Not long after, I received another message that we had a new deadline that involved a huge amount of work when my team was already totally stretched. To make things worse, when I received these updates, I had just come back from a full day of meetings in London and was jet-lagged, having just flown in from California the night before. I was exhausted! When all of these things came flying at me all of a sudden, I got upset and was unable to focus on doing the important things that I still needed to get done. What do you do when you're in the thick of a situation like this? Especially when you know you need to get a grip, prioritize, and stay productive, which are all easier said than done! 5 Things I Did in a Stressful Situation to Manage Myself 1. Be Aware The first thing was about awareness. I stepped back and recognized that I was in this situation, which helped me to realize I needed to do some self-managing. 2. Change of Scenery The second thing was changing my physical environment. I got up from my desk and walked out to the kitchen where I did some stretching, focused on regular breathing, and appreciated the change of scenery. 3. Seek Human Interaction The third thing I did was to seek out some human interaction. Unless human interaction is what got you into this stressful position in the first place, talking things out with somebody is really helpful. This really calmed me down and stopped me from sitting and stewing all by myself and continuously running through these issues in my mind. 4. Assess the Situation The fourth thing I did once I was a bit calmer was an assessment of the situation. I looked at the numbers behind the project in question and realized, You know what? These economics aren't going to be as bad as I initially thought. Maybe we can even offset them. 5. Take Action Then, the fifth thing was to take some action. I delegated these urgent new tasks to an outside group. By outsourcing the work, we could meet the new deadline and also protect my team in the process. Know Yourself You have to know yourself in these stressful situations because we're all different. One thing I do know is this: no matter who we are, when work or life throws us a curve ball (and you know that's going to happen!), the key is to figure out how you're going to be aware of the situation. Awareness underpins everything. Only when you're aware can you really start to self-manage in the best possible way for you. Then, it's about taking actions and learning to manage yourself from a physical, mental, and emotional standpoint, and choosing actions that will help you in all three of those areas. What do you do when you get thrown off track? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Royal Navy Officer Training BRNC Structure of Command

Royal Navy Officer Training BRNC Structure of Command In order to become a Royal Navy Officer, you’ll need to pass through the Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC). This is a deliberately demanding and difficult process, which will test you to your very limits. However, once you have successfully graduated from the college, you will truly be able to say that you are capable of working within the British Royal Navy.Naturally, to reflect the real Royal Navy, the BRNC has a highly regimented and ordered structure of hierarchy. If you are thinking of enrolling, or just curious for more information; this blog will tell you all you need to know about the BRNC structure of power.Who’s at the top of the BRNC Structure?The command structure at BRNC can sometimes be confusing. To help you out, here’s a handy diagram showing a general overview of the BRNC structure:So, what does all this mean? Let’s take a look.Captain BRNCCaptain BRNC is the College’s most senior officer, and is directly in charge of everyone at the College. They are re sponsible to the Admiralty for the delivery of officers to the Fleet. Similar to a ship’s Captain, their word is law. They are right at the top of the BRNC structure.Commander BRNCThe Commander of BRNC is responsible to the Captain for areas such as discipline, security, staff and College management and day-to-day running of the College.Commander (Training)It is the Commander (Training)’s (CdrT) responsibility to the Captain to oversee training, including the efficient running of the training system, changes to the system of training. This person also has the last say in the event of any failures.Commander (Resources Planning) You may not come into direct contact with this Commander as much as the other two, however, Cdr(RP) is an important force behind the scenes.1st LieutenantThe 1st Lieutenant (1L) is a Lieutenant Commander who is responsible for aiding the Commander in his role. The 1st Lieutenant is normally the first call for security, policing and discipline matters.Off icer Commanding Officer Training (OCOT)OCOT is a Lieutenant Commander who is responsible to Commander (Training) for the effective running of the training system.SquadronsThe whole College, including staff and students, is split into two squadrons, Cunningham and St Vincent. The two squadrons enjoy a fierce rivalry, and will compete in sports, exercises and more. As a St. Vincent squadron member I am obliged to point out, with an incredibly heavy bias, that St Vincent is the better of the two.DivisionsAll cadets will be split down into divisions of roughly 15-20 cadets. The division will be responsible to the Divisional Chief, otherwise known as Divisional Senior Rate, and to the Divisional Officer. Each intake will normally have 4 divisions, split into 2 per squadron. This means that a squadron is likely to contain 4-6 Officer Cadet Divisions across intakes, and 1-2 College Senior Divisions.Divisional Officer Your main point of contact with the staff throughout training will be you r Divisional Officer. They will be responsible for the discipline, management, welfare and leadership of your division, and will be close by, for better or for worse, throughout every aspect of your training.Squadron Chief Petty OfficersThe St Vincent Squadron Chief (VSC) and Cunningham Squadron Chief (CSC) are responsible for your accommodation, discipline and day-to-day management throughout training. They will be greatly involved during your induction to the College.Squadron Senior OfficersThe St Vincent Senior Officer (VSO) and Cunningham Senior Officer (CSO) oversee the Divisional Officers of all their squadron’s divisions, and are responsible for the effective running, discipline and management of their squadron.Student and Senior RankingsThe BRNC Structure doesn’t just apply to Officers, but Students too. Below is a breakdown of the Student and Senior rankings:The positions are filled by College Seniors, and are responsible for Student management, including representation of the cadets during meetings, handling of some welfare issues, and the handling of divisional weekly reports.These will be nominated and chosen by the staff, and will have a number of extra responsibilities and privileges, such as a bigger and better room for the College Senior Midshipman/Sub-Lieutenant.You will come into contact with the Senior Midshipmen/Sub-Lieutenants during the weekly squadron meetings, and when required will need to write up a report on your week’s training, including any problems, so that any concerns or praise can be passed up the chain of command. This entry was posted in Armed Forces, Career Advice. Bookmark the permalink. Jordan Cooke BRNC Dartmouth: The College Fitness GuideA Level Results Day: What To Do Next