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Top Resume Trends

Your resume is your professional mirror. Whatever is written in the content of your resume is what future employers, and audiences will see concerning your professional journey; past, present and future.

In case you are missing the point, your resume needs to be TOP.

It needs to be carefully curated, well thought out, and well written.

We can have writers block, maybe even a lack of laser precision when writing it; which is why Anima Mea is here.

My top resume hacks:

  1. You need to have specific wording. Example: which softwares do you use? which websites? specific tasks? this helps the Applicant Tracking System pinpoint you out of all the candidates. Additionally it helps the recruiter assess whether you are a fit for the role.
  2. Do not make your resume more than 2 pages long. You do not need to write all your previous jobs, for example, I have been working in HR for 7 years, I will only write my HR jobs on my resume. I won’t write the jobs I worked at while in school. Know where to cut, and where to remove the fluff.
  3. Use proper grammar. Before applying online or sending it to an employer, DOUBLE CHECK YOU’RE WORK (SIC) (see gotcha). And sometimes spell check won’t even catch the mistake, get a friend to re-read it.
  4. Cover Letters? A lot of candidates use cover letters, it basically sums up why you want to work at a specific organization and what you can bring to the table. See, me, personally I never read them. I read the resume. But some people like them, I leave it to your discretion.
  5. Get a LinkedIn profile. I do not care what kind of role you have but get a LinkedIn account, the best jobs are there! The recruiters are online and engaging with their audience, the organizations’ home page posts all kinds of interesting content! Get on it, you’re literally a boomer on the job market. Actually, all boomers have LinkedIn profiles too.

Applying to jobs is a hard task, applying internally and externally is challenging. Which is why you need to ensure that when putting yourself forth you have all the cards in your hand.

Ready to find out more?

Contact us, let’s start building your career Click Here

Building your Personal Goals

I start my year, month and week with goals. My yearly goals are those that I want to work on throughout the year, my monthly goals are those that represent my yearly goals, and my weekly ones is the shit I need to get done that week. You know, ASAP. I even have an agenda where I write down everything.

I started my year looking at my side hustle, what did I want to achieve? I wanted a stronger social media presence, more followers and more clients.  My monthly and weekly goals are working towards those goals and ensuring I get it done. My weekly and monthly goals can be those pesky tasks that I just need to be done.

I even looked at my personal life, what did I want? Hmm stronger and more meaningful relationships with my friends, continue eating healthy and working out (need a good workout plan; contact us we got you) and of course taking time for me.

The thing about goals that I try explaining to my clients is that they are not usually completed within the first weeks; you need to keep on working on them. Constantly. You will have highs, lows and sometimes you will even regress. It happens. But as I always say when that happens, you got to get back up and keep on being persistent. Don’t build crazy goals, build goals that you can work on constantly, make micro steps, make them work for you so that you can ensure your own success.

One way you can attack your goals is:

  • What do YOU want to work on?
    • and what else?
  • Why do YOU want to work on this?
  • What do YOU really want?
  • How can YOU get this done?

Personal goals cannot only be looked at once a year, you need to work on it all year long and build those habits you want to create.

At Anima Mea, we want to aspire to inspire our clients to live their best lives.

Need some inspiration? Contact us, let’s get it done.

#coaching #lifecoach #personalcoach #professionalcoach #coach #mtl

Attending a Job Fair

So you realize you’re almost done school, or for whatever reason you are hitting up the open houses and job fairs. The networking, the chit chating, the professional talk and jargon.  No easy task, you’re 1 out of 9000 potential candidates who attend. You need to ensure your CV is complete, you have your elevator pitch written, and now you need to hit this thing up.

No course in school prepares you for this, why it doesn’t exist? makes no sense to me but, lucky for you, I am writing an article about it.

  1. Study the lay of the land, do research on the companies who are attending before hitting up the fair. If you are a civil engineer, do not go see the museums asking if they need a curator. If you want a job in engineering check which companies are attending related to that domain and bring your resumes.
  2. Go there with updated copies of your resume, with an on-point professional appearance, and your best ass kissing you have out there. I am not a fan of the cover letter; however, you need something to stand out, I’ve seen this a few times and I love it. Business cards!! You are bound to be remembered.
  3. Do not go there to take the free SWAG the companies are giving away. If you show up just to ask for a free pen, go home.
  4. When meeting the companies, speak to HR and the other members. Prepare your elevator pitch and practice it because HR never goes alone to do these things; we always drag another manager with us from another department that is most probably hiring. Ask HR and the manager questions, make a good impression, seem eager and willing to work. The more enjoyable the conversation the more of a positive memory they will have of you.
  5. Add the people you met on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is for networking; you can slide in their DMs after thanking them for taking the time to talk to you and ask them to remember you for anything that pops up in the future.

The job market is hard, you need to do everything to ensure that you get chosen. Need help? Let’s get it done.

Done School, then what?

You just finished your gruesome years of schooling and now you need to hit the job market hard.

Trust me, I had the same intuition, find a job in my domain and I’ll be set, well you know, I had a bachelor’s degree and that automatically meant success.

Nope, not true.

I graduated university with a bachelor’s degree in History and English literature, and no, I did not want to continue on in teaching, and no I did not want to work in history and in English. Sure, I love reading, but nope I couldn’t do that to myself. I was heartbroken, didn’t finishing university equate finding a job?

Nope.

I proceeded to go back to school, in Human Resource Management and I started working at the bank. I worked there during my schooling, and I stayed until I found a job in my domain. Which took forever.

I wish, I had some help during my college and university years where I can ask questions, get help and grow professionally. Here are my post-university tips:

  1. Are you sure that’s what you want to work in? Finishing university, working and then going back to school is never fun, find what makes your boat float. It is never that easy but its better to return to school while school and studying are still fresh. Trust me, I went to school after 5 years to get my coaching certification, and it is really hard to go back to school after so long.
  2. Network, find people with common professional interests, go to your school networking events, company events. Talk with your peers and see what they foresee for themselves. Try and grow your network. Network= net worth.
  3. Create a LinkedIn. Add a picture (not a selfie), add your professional experience, what you are looking for, and your schooling. What’s neat about LinkedIn is that you can follow your favourite companies, your idols, and see what is trending. It is a great source of information for anything and everything related to your career.
  4. Job fairs, go to them, bring your resume, make business cards. It is really hard to stand out, so do something noteworthy, hence the business cards. Make connections at the job fairs. Speak with HR at the job fairs and the subject matter experts who are there representing the company. Ask questions at the booths, ask if they hire fresh out of school students, see what they are looking for, and when they hire students. Ask for their contact information and e-mail them after the event.

Once you’re done school, you need to hustle. The work hustle is way different than the school hustle and you need to get shit done. Need help? Contact us.

Mindfulness

Being Mindful in the present moment

You know me, I am all about that work life fulfillment (you know, trying); eating healthy, working out, self-care, being mindful and definitely hustling at work. But one aspect that we are lacking in, is being mindful in the present moment.

All day at work we have emails popping in, Skype messages popping up, our cell phone lighting up, and let’s not forget the obvious chit chat at work.

I swear whenever I hear a phone vibrate, I feel like I have an e-mail coming in. We are constantly bombarded by sounds, alerts, and people that we are barely mindful in the present moment.

I am not going to lie, when I am grabbing that coffee with friends, or hanging out with family I need that constant bombardment from technology, and most of the times I miss important conversations, not paying attention and definitely not being present with everyone.

Here are 3 tips to be fully present in our relationships:

  1. Leave your cellphone elsewhere. Do not bring it to the dinner table, and just leave it in your purse at the coffee shop. What is so important that you need to leave it out and text other people rather than talk to the person in front of you? I recently was at a party where I left my cell phone in my purse! WHATTT a whole 6 hours without a phone #YASS the liberation.
  2. Fully listen. Make people finish their sentences, listen to them, be present and try not to wander off. By not cutting people off you make them finish their thoughts; which will then be complete and you get to hear the full message they are conveying. When you listen, and I mean really listen, you hear soo much. The nonverbal, the verbal and the hidden messaging.
  3. Plan evenings at home. Plan that dinner at home, make it a potluck, just be with friends in a quiet setting! The conversation is more real in a comfortable setting. The conversation is more relaxed and you are definitely not being distracted by the hustle and bustle in the restaurant.

I find it extremely hard to try and be present, which is why I am always trying new things to curb the need to grab my cellphone and just be mindful.

Try these tips, let me know how it works.

AM Webinar: Habit Breaking

Do YOU have habits that you need to break?

Eating habits, wellness habits, time management habits, etc…?

The AM Webinar on Habit Breaking will you give you a full proof model on how to BREAK those pesty habits and replace them with new habits; ones that YOU want to achieve.

Needed:

  • G-Mail Account
  • Google Hangouts
  • YOURSELF

Sign up below, an e-mail will be sent to you confirming the time, date and payment method.

This is an hour and a half (1.5 hours) workshop.

Spring Time, Spring Cleaning

The sun is out, the grass is turning green and now is the chance for you to do that spring cleaning in all aspects of your life.

Social media, housework, life, work.

You know that pile of documents on your desk? Sift through it; file it. Declutter and put it in its designated spot.

Declutter your homes and make it less heavy. Turn your cupboards, your clothes, your living room into a spot where you yearn to go into. You know that dress you haven’t worn since cegep? Yup get rid of it too.

You know that social media account that posts all useless stuff that isn’t relatable-at all. Yup, clean that too.

Clean all the accounts that add zero benefit to your life. Why do you keep them? To compare? To feel bad? Aspirations?

Spring cleaning can be done in all aspects of your life, it’s a sense of renewal, productivity and wellness. How good do you feel when the deed is done?

Here are my top spring-cleaning tips:

  • If you haven’t worn something in 2 years, ask yourself if you are being realistic in keeping the item?
  • Find an organized spot for everything, do you have proper filing, storage and space? Get creative with what you have, declutter and get neat.
  • Social media, unfollow anything that does not bring you joy.
  • Social media, are you spending too much time on it? Would you benefit from screen time limits? Is social media affecting your relationships?
  • Friendships, now would be a great time to assess whether all your friendships are benefiting your life.
  • Work, how is your job? Are you excited to go into work? Are you in a rut? Now can be a perfect time as any to assess your career and re-visit your career plan.
  • Did you create new year resolutions? Assess them, have you achieved? Stagnated? Stopped? Now would be a perfect time to reassess and envision new ones.

Need help in any of these aspects? Reach out and we can co create a plan of success.

Top Questions to Ask an Interviewer

So the interviewer finishes their questions and there you are, sitting, eager beaver and not one question is coming to mind.

By asking questions you seem inquisitive. experienced and well prepared.

Always ask questions. 

  1. How would you describe the Company’s culture? You need to know if the culture fits into your values and work habits. If the Company is more traditional and you are a modern millennial; it potentially won’t be a good fit.
  2. Do you work alongside many other departments? This will allow you to see if the department you are interviewing for works with other departments and helps/creates new initiatives. If they say no, and you just work with your colleagues on your daily tasks; is this something you want?
  3. How is a regular work day in the department? You can get the work vibe you want out of this question. They can say it is extremely fast paced (ok, cool; how fast) or slow (ok..how s l o w).
  4. How are the benefits? This fits into your total compensation package, this will allow you to compare with other companies, and where you currently work. Some company’s have great perks, so this would be a great time to uncover them (example: Gym memberships, tuition refund, training, etc…). 
  5. Is there room for growth in the department? What are your career goals, can you grow and create your career path here? That is a note worthy question, because if there is zero chance for a promotion within 5 years, do you want to take the risk of career stagnation.
  6. How long have you’ve been with the Company? This question allows you to get the feel for increased turnover, or a pleasantly good vibe.

Here are my favourite questions to ask, let me know how it goes on your next interview!

AM Webinar: Resumes

Resumes, got to love them, got to hate them.

Is your resume ready?

Is it representing you?

Is it emulating your dream job?

Resumes are the first line of defense in any application you do, they present you directly to the organization, the recruiter, and the hiring manager.

For tips on how to make your resume presentable and application ready attend Anima Mea’s webinar on resumes.

Join me on April 14, 2019 from 10-11:30 am from the comfort of your sweat pants for a webinar on:

  1. Resume templates; which templates best suit you and the job you desire
  2. Editing and creating the resume that gets you that phone interview
  3. Resume tips, faux pas and key wording
  4. Ensuring it is ATS ready and interview ready
  5. Tools

Price: 20$

Needed: G-mail account; google hangouts will be used for presenting.

Sign up below.

Receiving Feedback

Sure, we’ve all received feedback professionally and
personally, and deep down we’ve all been mad, but we shouldn’t be! We
oftentimes get sensitive and defensive when receiving feedback but we need to
reverse our perception and be thankful. We need to remember that no feedback is
bad feedback, especially when it is given in a kind manner.

In order to receive feedback, we need to implement the following steps:

  1. Act: this demonstrates that we are open to feedback and willing to accept it and learn new things. Sure, we always think our way is the best, but when someone with more experience gives you their opinion you should be open to it especially when your main focus is your professional and personal development. Accepting feedback shows a deeper sense of maturity. If feedback ever takes you by surprise, pause, take a breath and then act.
  2. Clarify: Ask questions!! Clarify what they are telling you. Remember when we use to write book reports in elementary school? Same thing, ask probing questions so you can understand not to make that mistake again/or ensure you just get better.
  3. Think: Consider that the person who is giving you their feedback actually wants to help you and help you grow. Sure, there may be haters but we need to know the difference between genuine feedback and douche-bag feedback.

Additionally, I want to point out that that there are people out there who are afraid to give feedback to their manager, another manager, a colleague or an employee; why are you afraid? Sure the response might be rash, but wouldn’t that just show their true colours? In all honestly, feedback is taken in the way it is given. If you find a way to deliver feedback to someone without hurting their feelings but being honest; you just helped someone with their development.

And don’t think everyone is off the hook.

You know those people who receive a compliment at work or in
their personal life and they change the subject and try to find away to negate
their success? Sounds familiar, yeah thought so.

Accept the compliment, accept the fact that you did
something well, stop negating the positive feedback. When someone compliments
you, before answering; pause, and say thanks.