Three Things Your Video Resume Should Have

Making a video resume can be a lot of fun and it is indeed one of the best ways to break the clutter, stand out from a crowd and make an impression. However, there are so many things you need to consider, while creating a video resume that you can’t simply keep the camera on roll and start shooting. You have to plan your video resume and ensure that it meets the following three criteria.

1. Appeal: Before you start making your resume, you need to know who you are talking to. Being conversant with the industry you wish to get into and also knowing the culture of the organizations you may be applying to could help make a stronger impression. If you are applying to a media company, you could get a little more creative and have some fun. Whereas, if you are applying to a software development company you may have to focus on highlighting your skills better.

2. Strengths: Showcasing your skills in an engaging manner could help your employers decide if you are good for the job. Identify the skill set that you require for the job, and if those skills are your strengths, make sure that they do not go unnoticed.

3. Design: Today, even basic editing software can help you create a unique video resume. Use a template that matches your style and personality, but at the same time looks professional. Use title to highlight certain skills and qualifications. Use titles to differentiate one segment from another. Have a pilot track playing the background, but make sure that it does not overpower your words.

Compelling work habits for fresh graduates

A positive attitude can help you win over the world. And when you are simply looking at being accepted well in the workspace a positive attitude can take you a long way. There are a number of ways in which you can prove to your employers that you are indeed a team player and hold respect for the people you work with. A few work habits that graduates should inculcate in order to be accepted at the workplace are listed below:

Volunteer for assignments: At the very start of the career, you have to be open to taking up challenges. Your superiors may have not been able to gauge your strengths and weaknesses and therefore you should volunteer for assignments so that they can gauge your potential and consider you for more important projects in the future.

Prioritize Your Work: Always prioritize your work. If you want to meet the deadlines that you have before you, you have to learn the art of prioritization. Along with knowing what task is more important that the other, you should also learn how to manage time effectively so as to build productivity.
 

Be nice to everyone: As mentioned earlier, a positive attitude can help you face absolutely any challenge. When you have a positive mindset it is easier to be nice to everyone. However, it’s not just your colleagues and your superiors that you should be nice towards; even the staff deserves to be treated with warmth.

When you do inculcate these basic but winning habits you will notice that you enjoy your job the environment and people will appreciate you and your work as well. And do not forget the most important rule – It is nice to be important, but it is also important to be nice.

Make the Best use of Summers

When you are in school you may spend your summers by the pool if you are in town, or you may get out of the city with your family for a vacation to beat the heat. However, as you grow older, you will have to make every summer count and you should. You can do this by taking up a summer job that will help preparing you for your real job after you graduate.

Don’t deliver pizzas: A lot of students often take up jobs that are labour intensive and do not really need them to use their acumen. These months are never going to come back, so use them to get a job in a company that you may want to work with in the future. The company will probably not pay you anything, but you will learn a lot about the industry and about the job profile you may be interested in.

Turn travel into research: If you are travelling during the summers, you could turn what you have learnt into an avenue for making money. Well, there are a number of websites who constantly look for articles on various destinations. You could put your experiences down and have them publish it on their websites for money.

There are indeed so many other things that you can do during the summer months. Especially today, with the internet being the prime source of thousands of job opportunities. So, do not waste your summer months idling around the house, or shooting pool at the local games parlour, but work towards finding something you may enjoy doing for the rest of your life.

Picking the First Offer: A right or a wrong Step?

There is nothing wrong in saying yes to the first job offer that comes your way. However, before accepting the offer you should know that the job is going to provide you with job satisfaction and going to compensate you according to what you deserve. A lot of people make mistakes by accepting the first job offer due to the following reasons:

Career over salary: Students often get very competitive and in an effort to prove that they can make more money than their peer might take up the first job offer that offers them a large salary package. However, what they do not understand is that the industry they may be picking does not interest them at all, and they will get bored in a matter of may be a few months or few years and it may be too late to switch courses then. 

Pre application research: If you apply for the wrong first job, you may just get the offer. Therefore be sure that you have done the research that is needed to be sure that you will like the job you get accepted into. A few things that you should be sure of is whether you want to work in a certain industry, do you have the skill sets that the job requires and are you doing it only for the money. 

Desperation: Do not accept the first job out of desperation because your peers have already got offers, or because your parents are getting worried or even if you have to pay off the bank. Wait till a good offer comes your way, it may take some time, but you will find something that will make you happy.

The Importance of Having a Plan

If you want to succeed in life, you have to have a plan. A lot of people start planning their careers and what they want to do for the rest of their lives while they are in school itself, while others will wait until they graduate from college to figure out what they want to pursue as a career. However, it may be too late and skill that could have helped you in your career of choice could have been inculcated while you were studying in school and college.
However, it is not too late to start and you should remember the following when you start developing a plan that will help you succeed in life.

1) Be aware of who you are: If you take up a job that you do not like you will regret it for the rest of your life. Make sure that you know what kind of person you are and what skill, strengths and weaknesses you have so you can make an informed choice as far as your career is concerned.

2) Set your goals: Once you have analyzed yourself and made a list of careers you may want to pursue, start setting goals for yourself. The goals could be as small as identifying organizations you want to work with, sending in your resume to these companies, or if you think you want to study further you could set up a goal that involves you getting into a post graduate college of your choice. Make goals and dedicate yourself to meeting them.

Your career is the most important thing and you should pay more attention to choosing the right job that will benefit you in the long run that a high paying job that will not interest you in the long run. Be sure of what you want from your career and set goals to achieve them. Focus, determination and a positive attitude will help you become successful.

 

Want to get Successful in your First Job? Follow the Checklist

If you have been looking to get accepted into a particular company all through college and your dream has finally become a reality, you have to work towards keeping that dream alive. You have to perform well and you have to prove yourself over and over again in this competitive environment. Just follow the checklist below, and you will not have any trouble being a model employee:

1) Be punctual: Stick to office timings, if you want to leave on time, make sure you get to office in time. Be punctual for meetings and do not make anyone wait for you.

2) Stay regular to work: Absenteeism will not reflect well on your performance. Try and stay healthy and avoid taking sick leaves as much as you can. Provide your immediate superior with an advanced notice about your vacation plans so that you can get the leave you want and they can arrange for someone to stand in for you.

3) Complete all assignments before deadline: Stick to your promises. If you have promised to meet a deadline make sure that you complete your task within the time limit. You may have to spend a few sleepless nights, but meet the deadline.

4) Don't be a part of office gossip: Be honest to your work and do not indulge in idle gossip. Try and avoid people who talk about other people behind their back and laugh at other people’s expenses. Try and maintain a professional relationship with everyone.

5) Be ready to accept change: Things are going to change, the professional world is very unlike what you were used to in the more protective environment of college and you have to be ready to accept that.

When you follow the checklist, you will gather the strength to face a number of challenges that have recently started surfacing. However, do not lose faith and have conviction in your capabilities and you will indeed make a fine employee who everyone appreciates.

How to Get the Salary You Want

Let’s face it, when we graduate from college, we are filled with aspirations of getting salary packages that can allow us to live a comfortable life. However there are a few things you should be particular about in terms of the job profile as well. If you are getting the profile you want, the following are the things you should work on in order to get the desired package.

Do a thorough research: It is essential that you speak to people, understand what the industry standard is and depending on your experience understand how much you should ask for.

Be patient: In order to convince the employer that you are worth what you are asking for, you have to convince them that you will add value to the organization. Try and avoid discussing your salary during the initial stages of the recruitment process. Once you have proved your worth, then discuss the salary.

Don’t lie: If you have prior work experience, do not lie about the salary you drew from the previous organization. You may be capable, but if you lie and if you get caught, you may jeopardize your career.

Wait: It is advisable that you lay hard to get if you are not getting the offer you want or one that meets industry standards. Do not accept the first offer, in an objective manner let the prospective employers know that you want more.

Benefits: Do not focus only the take home, make sure your CTC or Cost to Company includes certain benefits as well. Allowances like HRA and medical assistance can help you lead a good life.