VA Secretary Scandal Tempest in a Teapot - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

VA Secretary Scandal Tempest in a Teapot - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career I’m clearly on record as being a strong advocate for always telling the truth on one’s résumé, as well as when making any other statements or claims about one’s work history. (See Go Ask Brian: ‘Fudging’ Résumé Risky.) But in my opinion, the latest “scandal” involving VA Secretary Robert McDonald merely rises to the level of a “tempest in a teapot.” If you happen to be one of the three or four Americans who may not be familiar with the latest “scandal” surrounding the new VA Secretary, here is a brief recap: While conducting a nationwide count of homeless veterans, McDonald and his staff visited a rundown neighborhood in Los Angeles in January. He asked one of the veterans he encountered there what unit he had served in and the veteran told McDonald he had served in Special Forces. “Special Forces? What years? I was in Special Forces!” McDonald responded. McDonald’s statement was later proven to be technically false, and he quickly acknowledged that fact and apologized for his misstatement. His admission of misstating a fact about his service and his subsequent apology, however, were not perceived as quite adequate by either the media or some veteran groups, particularly veteran organizations such as Stolen Valor, which monitors and reports upon false statements and/or claims people make about military service. To clarify, U.S. Military “Special Forces” are usually considered to consist of the following: U.S. Army Rangers U.S. Army Delta Force U.S. Army Special Forces (“Green Berets”) U.S. Navy SEALs U.S. Marine Corps Force Recon OH, WHAT A DIFFERENCE PHRASEOLOGY MAKES Although McDonald completed the extremely challenging U.S. Army Ranger course and earned the coveted “Ranger Tab,” he never actually served in the U.S. Army Rangers, so his statement about being in Special Forces was indeed technically incorrect. The bulk of McDonald’s U.S. Army service was in the 82nd Airborne Division, certainly not exactly a military unit for the faint of heart by any stretch of the imagination, but admittedly, not officially classified as one of the Special Forces. Here is the irony in all of this, as far as I’m concerned: Had McDonald said something like, “I qualified to be in Special Forces (by virtue of his having completed the U.S. Army Ranger Course), though I never actually served with them,” the story of this “scandal” would never have seen the light of day. MCDONALD SERVED, CONTINUES TO SERVE, HONORABLY I believe McDonald did the honorable thing, by quickly and completely taking responsibility for his misstatement of fact and offering a sincere apology to those whom he may have offended or who may have construed his statement as being intentionally misleading. (I don’t believe it was intentional.) Secretary McDonald certainly has nothing to apologize for when it comes to his service to our country. After graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1975,[1] he served for five years in the U.S. Army as a commissioned officer, primarily in the 82nd Airborne Division, before resigning his commission. While a member of the 82nd Airborne, he qualified as a senior parachutist and airborne jumpmaster, no mean accomplishments. Following his military service, McDonald had a long and successful career at consumer products giant Procter Gamble, retiring as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. He accepted the administration’s nomination last year to serve as VA Secretary, replacing General Eric Shinseki, who resigned amid reports of an organization in apparent chaos and even suspected malfeasance. VA, OUR COUNTRY NEED  PEOPLE LIKE MCDONALD TO SERVE I believeâ€"and hope that those of you reading this post also believe!â€"that our country and the VA desperately need people like Robert McDonald to serve. I mean, after all, at this stage of his life, after a long and very successful career in the private sector, did he really need the potential hassle and microscopic focus that usually comes with public service these days? Yet he accepted the challenge and willingly entered the lion’s den because he had a strong desire to once again serve our country and its military veterans. Since he has taken the reins of the VA the morale of both VA employees and the veterans they serve has improved significantly and substantively. The VA certainly is not quite perfect yet, but it is improving across a number of important programs and initiatives, as attested by the other half of my editorial team, Michael Garee, a disabled U.S. Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War and someone who has interacted, and continues to interact, regularly with the VA. Many veteran groups have already agreed to give Secretary McDonald the benefit of the doubt, accept his sincere apology, and move beyond this issue, in order to address far more important and crucial issues faced by our country and the VA. I believe the rest of us Americans should do no less. What are your thoughts on this issue? [1]FULL DISCLOSURE: I graduated from West Point one year later than McDonald, in 1976, although I never had the pleasure of meeting him while there. ________________________________________ Check out Career Stalled?, Skip’s latest job-hunting book in the “Headhunter” Hiring Secrets Series of Career Development Management publications  featured on Amazon.com. Going on a job interview soon? Know someone who is? Download Skips FREE How to ACE the Job Interview! publication by clicking HERE. Learn how to interview the way Superstars do!

6 Team Building Activities That Dont Suck CareerMetis.com

6 Team Building Activities That Don’t Suck â€" CareerMetis.com Source: Unsplash.comThe team that plays together stays together, so if you’re heading up a team at work or manage personnel then investing in some quality team building exercises can pay dividends in strengthening group dynamics and improving morale at work.Although there’s a lot of dubious psychological waffle around the subject, excellent team building activities can:Improve trust amongst participantsBring shyer individuals out of their shellsMake team members more likely to feel comfortable making contributions at workHowever, if you’re not careful, it’s effortless to organize a team building activity that is more of a chore than a fun event, where participants may not enjoy themselves or get any benefit out of the exercise.evalYou also have to be careful when choosing an activity to make sure that it won’t put individuals in embarrassing situations that, at best, will make them dread further team building activities and, at worst, will make them more withdrawn from the group.Here’s a selection of unique activities that you can’t go wrong with, and are sure to leave you with a happier, friendlier and more effective time at the end of them.1) Escape RoomsevalSource: Unsplash.comEscape rooms are specially designed facilities where competing teams must pass through a series of rooms each containing a different puzzle or challenge to be overcome.Escape rooms tend to mix up some light physical exertion with brain-teasing logic puzzles, so that lateral thinking, as well as physical effort, is required to win the day. Whether someone’s strengths lie in spatial awareness, maths, or creative thinking, there should be a challenge where their skills can shine.Divide your group into two teams and see who can complete the escape room quickest, but even without a competitive format, these puzzles themselves are still great fun to overcome.2) Urban OrienteeringSource: Unsplash.comUrban orienteering It’s a fun and relaxed activity that you can also break u p with stops for food and drink along the way, and allows everyone to get involved without creating stressful amounts of pressure to succeed.3) Scavenger HuntSource: Unsplash.comThis is an easy activity that won’t cost the company a penny and can be done in or out of the office. Just draw up an original list of things for people to find and photograph in the shortest amount of time. You can split your group into different teams to encourage cooperation.Plus, you can have pretty much anything on the list. This could range from, say, a picture of the ICT manager’s bicycle, to a mug from the office’s nearest coffee shop. The sky’s the limit with this game, so use your imagination to make it more enjoyable for everybody involved.4) Gaming BarsSource: Unsplash.comEveryone plays video games nowadays, so it’s no surprise that video game bars have started popping up all over the place. Like the arcades of old, they usually have a massive selection of multiplayer titles to choose f rom so everyone can have a go. Blessedly, however, they haven’t retained the smell of sweat or the scary guy in a corner selling drugs to teenagers.evalGaming bars offer a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere where you’re team can choose from a wide variety of titles to compete and cooperate with. People can also order food or have some drinks, so you can’t go wrong with gaming bars for a fun, casual and stress-free day out.eval5) Board Game SessionsSource: Unsplash.comDespite the odds, board games are experiencing something of a renaissance of late, and are no longer seen merely as something to do after dinner at family gatherings. Order in some takeout and pick a range of titles old and new for your staff to play. It’ll create a relaxed environment for them to get to know each other better, and the staff can improve cooperation in figuring out the rules and trying to win their games.If you don’t want to go for board games, you can also pick traditional favorites like Picti onary and charades for staff to play, that, at most, only require a pen and paper. Games like this will often get people laughing as well, which is always a sure-fire icebreaker.6) Community ServiceSource: Unsplash.comThere’s nothing like coming together for a good cause, and getting your team involved with some local community service initiatives can help a team bond while doing some good in the world, and help bolster your company’s image and social values.Some community service initiatives you could participate in might include reading to people in hospitals, helping with an environmental cleanup program or working a shift at a soup kitchen.Sure, it might demand more involvement from your team, but the more they invest in the work, the more they’ll get out of it, and helping other people does make you feel good. Plus, it provides a great alternative to a lot of the standard cringe-worthy team-building exercises that can feel insincere and self-serving. You’ll often find t hat people are more likely to invest themselves in good causes than they would be for the majority of office exercises. These are just some ideas to get you started. There are a ton ofteam building activitiesfor every situation, so remember to prepare ahead of time to find the right kind of activity for your group.Coming up with great team building activities can be a fun exercise in itself, and there are enough games to suit the makeup and temperament of any team. Just be sure to let your staff know that it’s meant to be fun and not taken too seriously, and if they don’t prosper at a particular challenge or activity, then it’s nothing to feel ashamed about.You can also use the opportunity to see how different individuals react to people, situations, and challenges, which can help you get the most out of your staff as a team moving forward.

Top 4 tips to write a cover letter that gets you interviews - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

Top 4 tips to write a cover letter that gets you interviews I’ve been getting a lot of questions recently about cover letters. Are they important? Do hiring managers/recruiters read them? And what does a good cover letter look like? Ive already written an article about tailoring your resume to get more interviews and you can read it here. A well-written, compelling cover letter can show the hiring manager that you are a must-interview candidate.  I see lots of cover letters on a daily basis in my recruitment job, and unfortunately a lot of them are very forgettable. Many are too long and most are very generic. Some mention achievements but they have zero relevance to the role the candidates are applying for. And many don’t bother writing a cover letter at all. Your cover letter is your best chance to show the employer why they should invite you for an interview. Here are my 4 top tips on how to write a stand-out cover letter that works: Keep it concise Nobody is going to read a long cover letter, so keep it short and sweet. Succinct and hard-hitting is MUCH better than a long essay. If you only had 15 seconds to tell them what they needed to know about you, what would you say? Put THAT in your cover letter. All you need to include is: Why you are writing (your interest and general qualifications) Why you are qualified (highlighting specific accomplishments) Thank you (and a request for information on the next step in the hiring process) Customise your cover letter Your cover letter needs to show, at a glance, why you’re a suitable candidate for the job. Recruiters view job seekers who send out generic cover letters as unmotivated and out of touch â€" so if you don’t take the time to customise your letters, you might as well not bother sending them. You need to make sure you connect your qualifications to the job requirements for your target job in your letter. Make sure you include references to the specific accomplishments and results you achieved. You might want to even make a table with two columns.  On the left, under the heading, Requirements,” list several key requirements using language taken directly from the job description. On the right, under the heading, “My accomplishments”, list an achievement to correspond with each requirement.  Nothing beats this for quickly and clearly demonstrating how well you match up. Be Specific About Your Qualifications Use the cover letter to connect your skills, experience, and education directly to the employer’s advertised requirements. When applying for a position, prepare a cover letter that picks up 3 4 key qualifications listed in the job description and be very specific with regards to what you can offer pertaining directly to those qualifications. Make it as easy as possible for the potential employer to see that you are qualified for their job. You are much more likely to receive an invitation for an interview if you do the work for them. Close Your Cover Letter With a Call to Action Don’t close with something cliché like, I hope to hear from you soon. Being assertive at the end of the letter can be beneficial. Consider something along the lines of, “I believe I can be a valuable addition to your company, and I look forward to hearing from you. A lot of job seekers feel it is too much work to customise their resume and cover letter for each position to which they are applying. However, if you aren’t landing job interviews now, but you could start getting them by spending 20 minutes customising your application, wouldn’t it be worth it? If you are struggling to get interviews and need my help with tailoring your application and getting clarity on what your unique selling points are, just a single session can make all the difference. Please feel free to schedule a no-obligatory phone chat to see if I could help:  http://www.vcita.com/v/daba43a1   ______________________________________________________________________________________ Margaret Buj  is an  Interview Coach  who’s helped hundreds of professionals across Europe and the US to get the jobs and promotions they really wanted. Margaret also has 9 years of experience recruiting for a variety of positions at all levels across Europe and in the US, primarily in technology and e-commerce sectors. If you want to find out how recruiters read resumes, why you are not getting hired, how to sell yourself successfully in a job interview, and how to negotiate your best salary yet, you can download her  FREE “You’re HIRED!” video course.

How to Improve at Writing a Resume - Five Easy Tips For Great Resumes

How to Improve at Writing a Resume - Five Easy Tips For Great ResumesThere are many great tips on how to improve at writing a resume. A lot of people think that you just have to write a resume that no one will see, but that isn't always the case. The first step is to come up with a cover letter and a resume. If you follow these simple tips, your job application will be a lot easier to read and to understand.The best way to start thinking about how to improve at writing a resume is to put yourself in the shoes of a potential employer. You want to first think about who you are applying to. Your resume should take a good look at what qualities you have and highlight those that you possess that make you an ideal candidate for the position.Before you start coming up with ideas for your resume, you should create a list of the things that you enjoy most. Make sure that you include this in your resume. Then think about what you do not like doing the most. These include things like internet s urfing, watching television, sports and so on. You can always get your priorities straightened out as you go along.Now when you are looking at your list of hobbies, you should first ask yourself what kind of things your prospective employer does when they are working on their computer or television. Perhaps they work long hours and usually get their work done late at night or early in the morning. If this is the case, try to get into the habit of jotting down at least one thing that your prospective employer did while he or she was working that could highlight why you are the best person for the job.You should also put in some thought about how much time you have available each day to spend doing things you enjoy. You will find that once you start to get more detailed answers to these questions, it can actually make it a lot easier to keep from procrastinating. You don't have to answer everything you can, but you do want to be able to give them some examples of your hobbies. If you get more specific, they will be a lot more impressed by your efforts.Consider another area of your life that you can work into your resume. Perhaps you have the ability to quickly jump online and research different aspects of a subject you are trying to learn about. If this is the case, you might want to consider putting in that you are currently studying to become a lifeguard.It is important to remember that what you would really love to do with your life. You do not want to make this seem like a weakness. There is nothing wrong with being a good lifeguard and anything you put in your resume to make yourself sound like a job hopper is not going to be very appealing. You want to be able to show the prospective employer that you have other interests that are important to you.This is a great tip on how to improve at writing a resume and it is something that a lot of people overlook. Everyone has a dream in their life and it is important to realize that when it comes to applying for a job. Getting them into writing a resume that shows your love for a job can help to make them like you much better than they may have otherwise.

Why You Need to Include a Guide to Writing Your Resume

Why You Need to Include a Guide to Writing Your ResumeIn this guide to writing your resume, we'll cover why you need to make sure you include the right details in your resume and how to tailor it to fit the requirements of the job you are applying for. Although there is no one-size-fits-all answer to what should be included in your resume, there are a few things that you should definitely consider. It's important to put yourself in the place of your potential employer and see where they are coming from when they're hiring.The first thing you want to do is to make sure you put yourself in the best possible light for the interviewer. It's true that many people assume that every person who has just got a job as a contractor is low level or otherwise useless, but that's not always the case. Every employer looks for candidates who are capable and show good skills in their area of expertise. The more competent you are, the more likely they are to hire you.One of the first things you will w ant to look at when you're working on your resume is your personality. It's important to give employers an idea of what kind of individual you are. No matter how much experience you have, it's important to also include your interests and hobbies. In most cases, these will provide the interviewer with a great understanding of you.In most cases, employers need to know your age in order to judge your age and other relevant information. The age you were born has nothing to do with the job you're applying for. In fact, if you were born in a particular year, it's extremely important that you add that age to your resume, because the number will appear in your resume for a very long time.Just as important as what your resume says about you is what you're capable of doing. If you are confident in your abilities, and if you can answer the questions on your resume honestly, it will go a long way towards getting you the job you are looking for. Make sure you aren't putting yourself in a positio n where you can't answer any of the questions your potential employer asks.Finally, you'll want to make sure that you have the necessary skills for the job. There is no reason to feel obligated to say that you have all the skills necessary for the job if you don't. You will have a difficult time getting the job if you're telling potential employers that you are incompetent at something.When you apply for a job, you have to show the employer that you can meet their requirements and they will be able to see that you are serious about getting the job. Whether you're applying for a position that requires a lengthy background check, or a job that just requires a phone interview, it's important to make sure you're prepared and ready to meet the demands of the job.

Resume Writing Work before Education Fundamentals Explained

Resume Writing Work before Education Fundamentals Explained Similar to any other professional you hire, you are going to want to ask the right prescreening questions. Adhere to the tips above, and you'll have a resume that compensates for the deficiency of knowledge and gets you the interview. The absolute most important point to keep in mind while you document your education is honesty. When writing a resume, it helps to review resume examples that are linked to your occupation. Based on what position you're applying for within the greater education field, you might have previous knowledge in accounting, held board positions, and professional jobs aside from teaching. If you have little teaching experience, include volunteer positions and co-curricular pursuits that involve teaching in some manner. Frequently, there'll be an education requirement for the job which you want. You will also find a good example of a resume written particularly for an early childhood education job. A Startling Fact about Resume Writing Work Before Education Uncovered There are many internet do-it-yourself resources for pretty much every subject. Include an Education resume section to the peak of your document. A great resume format is simple to scan. When you have written and organized your information according to the kind of resume you've chosen, make sure to format it according to typical professional standards. Resume Writing Work Before Education Help! The more you are able to create interest all around your work experience, the better. It's also important to think about the type of work you genuinely wish to be hired to do. Even if your work experience is ideal, a subpar resume could sink your odds of getting a work interview. Maybe you have practical work experience and techniques that relate to the job. Even though it might seem sometimes that the education section on a resume is the simplest part, as you simply have to indicate where and what you've studied, it might not be as straightforward as initially thought. If you're a seasoned professional, place your professional work history section prior to your education. If education is easily the most prominent portion of your experience, put it towards the top. It is another important part of your resume. Most Noticeable Resume Writing Work before Education When you build a resume, you have to be very detail-oriented. Also, in case you have a degree in a different field, you can demonstrate that you took courses related to your professional field too. Education is among a couple crucial sections employers search for on resumes. The Most Popular Resume Writing Work before Education You are going to want to tailor your resume to the work description. Your experience should tackle every essential qualification in the job announcement. You are also able to get a feeling of the internal language used within a specific industry or company. There are a lot of basic kinds of resumes used to make an application for job openings. Resume Writing Work Before Education Help! Hiring agencies will try to find certain terms in your resume to make certain you have the experience they're seeking. Your resume will be completed with respect to the deadline. If you don't supply the info necessary for the hiring agency to ascertain your qualifications, you may not be considered for the job. The info in your resume should paint an image of the sort of employee you are and show employers what you're capable of accomplishing.

[Job S.H.O.T.s] Energizing a Stalled Job Search - Work It Daily

[Job S.H.O.T.s] Energizing a Stalled Job Search - Work It Daily J.T. O'Donnell reviews the most popular career advice articles recently posted on CAREEREALISM.com. In it, she focuses on CAREEREALISM-Approved Career Expert, Arnie Fertig's article describing 8 ways to re-energize your job search. Watch and learn what it takes to keep your outlook positive in a tough job search. Here's an exerpt from Arnie's article so you can get an idea of what he writes about: The simple truth is: hunting for a job can be tiring, demoralizing, and frustrating. I often encounter people who have internalized their inability to find work as a sign of personal failure. Confidence and self-image suffer. As that happens, it becomes increasingly difficult to present the optimistic, energetic “can do” persona that employers seek. If this sounds like you then you need to watch this video, now! Job S.H.O.T.s is a recap of the most popular career news from the previous week. Learn what experts are sharing with professionals that can help you find greater career success in today’s challenging economy. Watch » Job S.H.O.T.s every Monday at 1:00 PM ET GET E-MAIL UPDATES ABOUT CAREEREALISM TV Photo credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!